---
title: O.C.G.A. § 42-5-57. Institution of rehabilitation programs; provision of opportunities for educational, religious, and recreational activities.
collection: code
id: 42-5-57
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 42-5-57 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-5-57
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-5-57.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-5-57/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t41-t42-(v29a)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=4afea80d_0#page=320
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PENAL INSTITUTIONS / CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF STATE AND COUNTIES / CONDITIONS OF DETENTION GENERALLY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 42-5-57. Institution of rehabilitation programs; provision of opportunities for educational, religious, and recreational activities.

(a) The board, acting alone or in cooperation with the Department of Education, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, or the several state, local, and federal agencies concerned therewith shall be authorized to institute a program of rehabilitation, which may include academic, industrial, mechanical, agricultural, and vocational training, within the confines of a penal institution.

(b) The board, acting alone or in cooperation with the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council, shall be authorized to institute a program of rehabilitation which includes training following the Georgia Fire Academy curriculum within the confines of a penal institution.

(c) The board, acting alone or in cooperation with the Department of Public Health, shall be authorized to institute a program of rehabilitation which includes training for emergency medical services personnel as such term is defined in Code Section 31-11-49 within the confines of a penal institution.

(d) The department, in institutions under its control and supervision, shall give the inmates opportunity for reasonable educational, religious, and recreational activities where practicable.

## History

Ga. L. 1956, p. 161, § 23; Ga. L. 1964, p. 734, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 1399, § 4; Ga. L. 2021, p. 782, § 9/SB 46.

The 2021 amendment, effective May 10, 2021, added subsections (b) and (c), and redesignated former subsection (b) as present subsection (d).

## Administrative Rules and Regulations

Administration, Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Board of Corrections, Chapter 125-1.

Departmental Operations, Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Board of Corrections, Chapter 125-2.

Institutional and Center Operations, Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Board of Corrections, Chapter 125-3.

Institutional, Center, and Program Services, Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Board of Corrections, Chapter 125-4.