Reporting abuse in Georgia’s prisons is difficult by design. The state has no independent prison inspector general. Internal grievance systems are controlled by the same agency committing violations. But documentation matters—for lawsuits, for DOJ investigations, and for GPS’s ongoing reporting. Here’s what actually works.
The Reality of Reporting
GPS has documented 1,682 deaths in Georgia custody since 2020. 1 The Department of Justice found systematic Eighth Amendment violations. Yet the state continues to resist transparency, and internal grievance systems rarely produce accountability.
Reporting still matters. Every documented incident builds the evidentiary record. Multiple reports establish patterns courts require. The information families and incarcerated people provide reaches investigators who can act.
1. Document Everything First
Before filing any complaint:
- Record dates and times — specific timestamps matter legally
- Note full names — officer badge numbers, medical staff names, witnesses
- Describe injuries — location, severity, how they were inflicted
- Request medical attention — even if denied, the request creates a record
- Keep copies — of every grievance form, request slip, and medical form
- Write to family — letters create external documentation the prison can’t destroy
Courts require exhausted administrative remedies. Documentation proves you tried.
2. File Internal Grievances (Even Though They Usually Fail)
Georgia’s grievance system is administered by GDC—the agency being complained about. Success rates are dismal. File anyway.
The process:
- Request a grievance form from your unit counselor
- Complete the form with specific details—dates, names, what happened
- Submit through proper channels and keep your copy
- Appeal denials through each level: Warden → Commissioner’s Office
- Document every response and deadline
The federal Prison Litigation Reform Act requires exhausting administrative remedies before filing lawsuits. A paper trail of denied grievances demonstrates the system failed—not that you failed to use it.
3. Report Sexual Abuse Through PREA
The Prison Rape Elimination Act created reporting channels that bypass prison administration:
- National PREA Hotline: 1-888-992-7849
- GDC PREA Coordinator: Reports can be filed anonymously
- Outside organizations: Can report on behalf of incarcerated individuals
PREA violations are federal matters. Reports go to investigators outside the facility’s chain of command.
4. Contact the Department of Justice
The DOJ Civil Rights Division has an active investigation into Georgia’s prisons. Their 2024 findings documented systematic violations. 2
How to report:
- Online: civilrights.justice.gov/report
- Phone: (202) 514-4609
- Mail: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530
Federal investigations take time but create consequences state systems won’t impose on themselves. Your report adds to the evidentiary record.
5. Contact Georgia Prisoners’ Speak
GPS documents what the state denies. We track patterns across Georgia’s 117 facilities. 3
What we do with reports:
- Add to our facility-level incident tracking
- Share patterns with journalists and investigators
- Publish anonymized accounts that pressure officials
- Connect families with legal resources
How to contact us:
- Website: gps.press/submit
- Email: tips@gps.press
- GTL/Securus: We accept collect calls from Georgia facilities
GPS is not a legal organization. We document, publish, and connect—but can’t provide legal representation.
Legal Resources in Georgia
For legal assistance with abuse claims:
- Southern Center for Human Rights: schr.org — handles systemic prison condition cases
- Georgia Justice Project: gjp.org — criminal justice reform and legal services
- ACLU of Georgia: acluga.org — civil rights litigation
- Georgia Legal Services: glsp.org — for eligible low-income individuals and families
For Family Members
If your loved one reports abuse:
- Document their communications — save letters, note phone call details
- Request medical records — Georgia allows family access with proper authorization
- File complaints yourself — contact GDC, DOJ, and GPS on their behalf
- Contact their facility’s warden — create paper trails of family concern
- Reach out to media — public attention creates accountability internal systems won’t
GPS maintains a database of contacts for every Georgia facility. We can help identify who to contact and what has worked at specific locations.
Use Impact Justice AI
Impact Justice AI helps you send advocacy emails to Georgia lawmakers, parole board members, and oversight agencies. The free tool crafts personalized messages about prison conditions, medical neglect, and abuse—no experience required. Your voice joins thousands demanding accountability.
Why Reporting Matters
The DOJ investigation that found systematic violations relied on reports from incarcerated people and families. Lawsuits that changed conditions required documented grievances. GPS’s reporting depends entirely on information from inside.
Individual reports rarely produce immediate results. Cumulative documentation produces systemic change. What you report today becomes evidence tomorrow.
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
