Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) Program

The Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) Program is a program whereby eligible offenders can reduce the length of stay in prison through satisfactory progress in educational/treatment programs, work details, and good behavior. Positive performance by offenders will result in favorable reports to the Parole Board, and under this policy an offender can accumulate up to 12 months credit. Unsatisfactory performance will be addressed through the disciplinary process.

Offenders excluded from this program include:

• Offenders under death sentence
• Offenders serving a life sentence with or without possibility of parole
• Offenders with sentences less than or equal to two years
• Offenders serving for non-parole eligible offenses or serving minimum mandatory sentences, i.e. 7 deadly sin offenders (SB441).

An assessment is conducted on all offenders upon entry into Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), which is utilized to develop and create an individualized Reentry program case plan. Offenders can accumulate one (1) PIC point for completing all activities (programs) within a category in the Reentry program case plan.  Offenders can accumulate PIC points from three major categories listed below:

There are three ways offenders can accumulate PIC points:
     1. Case Plan
     2. Education/Vocational Improvement
     3. Detail/Work Assignment

The first category is the reentry program case plan, there are six (6) areas of identified needs in this category: (1)substance abuse,  (2)cognitive, (3)sex offender, (4)education, (5)mental health, and (6)vocational.  If an offender has an identified need in one of those areas, they must complete those programs in that area to accumulate one (1) PIC point. For example, If Billy Bob has an identified need in substance abuse, cognitive and vocational, he would have to complete all those categories in order to accumulate his PIC points.  Once he has completed his reentry program case plan, he can accumulate six (6) PIC points in the case plan category.  As offenders complete 100% of all categories of their Reentry program case plan, they can accumulate six (6) points.

The second and new category for offenders to accumulate PIC points is the Education/Vocational Improvement points category.  Accumulation of up to six (6) PIC points for participating in additional programming in the area of education and vocational programs is allowed if successfully completes all criteria. 

The third category where offenders can accumulate PIC points is based on assignment to certain work details. Offenders can accumulate points for working on the following details:

• Mobile Construction
• Georgia Correctional Industries (GCI) details
• Fire Station Services
• Outside Work Detail
• Specialized Inside Work Details

The amount of points that offenders can accumulate is dependent on the amount of cumulative time served on certain work detail assignments. An assignment to these work details is a local Classification Committee decision based upon established criteria in Facilities Operations policy. In order to be assigned to such details offenders have  to meet all minimum eligibility criteria in policy and demonstrate positive/good behavior.

One extremely important element of PIC consideration is an offender's overall good conduct and behavior throughout incarceration. If an offender is disruptive and removed from general population, he/she is unable to attend groups/programs and/or work detail assignments for which PIC credits are accumulated. This will delay an offender's ability to complete the items outlined in the Reentry program case plan.

As groups/programs are completed and time on work assignment grows, the facility counselor updates the Reentry program case plan. The point calculations are automatically totaled in the data base, which is shared with the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole. The facility counselor can provide the offender with the number of PIC points he has at the time of request.  The counselor cannot advise offender how many points will be awarded by the Parole Board.  The counselor can also advise the offender to what   programs are needed in order to successfully complete his/her Reentry program case plan.  Therefore, in order to maximize the benefits of the PIC process, offenders must be 100% compliant with their individual Reentry program case plan and learn proper work habits by demonstrating good work behaviors while incarcerated.

Resources

• Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) Program - Information on the Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) Program to reduce the length of prison service through satisfactory progress in educational/treatment programs, work details, and good behavior.

Contact:

Office of the Ombudsman

478-992-5358
ombudsman@gdc.ga.gov