Georgia is building the first centralized prison surveillance command center in American corrections — the OWL Unit — integrating cameras, drones, body cams, health records, and cell phone interdiction into one hub. The $150M+ system has no public oversight, no privacy analysis, and no equivalent in any other state. GPS investigates.
A 67-year-old nursing assistant at Augusta State Medical Prison was arrested after allegedly striking a disabled inmate who weighs just 103 pounds. The arrest raises questions about the treatment of medically vulnerable inmates at the facility.
After two years in solitary confinement at county jail, I arrived at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison expecting the worst. What I found was beyond imagination—violence, medical neglect, and conditions that would be illegal for shelter animals.
For 33 years, he’s faced the Georgia parole board with the same result: denied. Armed with Supreme Court precedent and a prosecutor’s signed admission that no evidence of force was presented at his trial, he continues fighting a system that won’t engage with the law he presents. “Insufficient time served,” they say every year, reading from what sounds like a script.
GDC’s own statistics report 301 people died while serving state sentences in 2025. But the official mortality name list contains only 295 names. When GPS asked who the six missing people were, GDC responded with bureaucratic doublespeak — and a bill.
Georgia’s Survivor Justice Act (HB 582) gives incarcerated domestic violence survivors the right to petition for resentencing. This guide explains who qualifies, how the process works, where to find free legal help, and how to build the strongest possible petition. Over 100 women in Georgia prisons could be eligible.
Georgia already solved its prison crisis once. Governor Deal’s reforms cut the prison population 6%, saved $264 million, and didn’t increase crime. Then Governor Kemp reversed course, adding $700 million in spending while every outcome worsened. The math is on legislators’ desks. Will they choose what works?
Sentenced to life with parole eligibility in 7 years, I’ve now served over 40 years in Georgia prisons. Despite an exemplary record and completing every requirement, I’ve been denied parole 15-16 times. This is my story of systemic barriers, legal advocacy, and refusing to stay silent.
A military veteran describes his 2009 conviction based on false accusations by a teenager, inadequate public defense, and the loss of his children. Sixteen years later, he reflects on surviving violence in Georgia prisons while maintaining hope that the truth will emerge.
I expected order and stability when I entered Pulaski State Prison in Georgia. Instead, I found a facility with no supervision, rampant violence, and systemic neglect. For two years, I witnessed inmates calling their families to get help because officers wouldn’t respond to emergencies.