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The Public Harm Under a For-Profit Probation System: Spotlight on Augusta

Highlights

Local governments in 86 cities in Georgia have contracts with private probation companies.

In Georgia, traffic and minor offenses often carry fines and fees that many residents cannot afford to pay upfront, which may result in being placed on “pay-only” misdemeanor probation under the supervision of a private probation company. Augusta, a region with one of Georgia’s highest poverty rates, relies heavily on these companies that impose high fees, extend supervision lengths, and worsen economic insecurity disproportionately among low-income Black and Latinx residents to collect and manage these cases.  This Georgia Budget and Policy Institute report spotlights Augusta’s for-profit probation system, prioritizing profit over fairness by criminalizing residents for their inability to pay. The report also includes recommendations urging Georgia lawmakers to curb wealth extraction and reduce the excessive criminal legal entanglement of low-income residents.

You can read the full text here.  

Key Findings:

  • Community service as an alternative to paying court debt disqualifies individuals from a three-month cap on probation fees, increasing financial vulnerability.
  • Augusta has one of the lowest average rates of closing misdemeanor probation cases in Georgia.
  • Compared to other counties in Georgia, Augusta has the second-highest average rate of people on misdemeanor probation.

Recommendations:

  • Remove loopholes that allow probation companies to dismiss caps on probation fees.
  • Limit most misdemeanor probation sentences to no longer than one year.
  • End the reliance on fines and fee revenue for local court systems by expanding on proactive revenue sources.
  • Formalize court processes to ensure all courts inform Georgians of the terms and full costs of being sentenced to supervision under a for-profit probation provider.
Ray Khalfani
The Georgia Budget & Policy Institute
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