Georgia's Incarceration Rate for Blacks drops 20% in five years

the incarceration rate among blacks in georgia dropped by 20% in five years. the change signals a shift in their approach to sentencing and offender treatment. driven to cut costs and improve outcomes, lawmakers increasingly reject tough-on-crime models which once defined the state.

instead, they're adopting public health-based solutions, including treatment centers for drug addicts and inmates with mental illness, as well as accountability courts offering alternatives to incarceration for offenders working to experience drug-free living and optimum mental health.

georgia's progressive reforms have improved outcomes for offenders of all ethnic groups. in fact, they've cut the state's overall incarceration rate by 15% since 2009, which is both remarkable and historic considering the state's dark past with black prisoners. 

though blacks are currently over-represented in georgia prisons - making up more than 60% of the state population but less than 32% of the overall state population - the encouraging decline affirms success towards fair sentencing practices and outcomes.