Georgia’s prison population could drop by 20% with rational sentencing reform. Instead, the state builds more cells. Governor Kemp proposed $600 million to fix Georgia’s prisons—but fixing facilities doesn’t fix the overcrowding that makes them dangerous. With 47,000 inmates and only 9,000 employees, Georgia’s prisons are structurally unsustainable. Decarceration isn’t soft on crime—it’s smart on public safety. States that reduced prison populations saw crime rates drop, not rise. 1
The Math Doesn’t Work
Georgia’s current approach is unsustainable:
- 47,000 inmates—more people than Georgia can safely house
- 9,000 employees—not enough staff to maintain security
- $60,000 per inmate—cost of warehousing without rehabilitation
- $1.48 billion budget—and conditions still deteriorating
Georgia can’t hire its way out of this crisis. The DOJ found unconstitutional conditions across the system. Building more prisons won’t change the underlying failure. 2
What Decarceration Means
Reducing prison populations through evidence-based policy:
- Sentencing reform—reduce mandatory minimums for non-violent offenses
- Early release programs—release people who pose no public safety risk
- Diversion programs—keep non-violent offenders out of prison entirely
- Parole reform—release eligible inmates instead of warehousing them
Decarceration focuses resources on people who actually pose risks—not on filling beds.
Other States Prove It Works
States that reduced prison populations saw better outcomes:
- California—Prison to Employment program cut recidivism 25%
- New Jersey—community-based programs reduced recidivism 30%
- Oregon—early release programs reduced population 15%
- Texas—sentencing reform saved $3 billion while reducing crime
These states invested in rehabilitation instead of incarceration. Crime went down, not up.
Georgia’s Choice
Georgia can continue its failing approach:
- Spend billions on facilities that remain unconstitutional
- Warehouse people without preparing them for release
- Create recidivism through neglect and lack of programming
- Endanger communities by releasing unprepared, traumatized people
Or Georgia can invest in what works: education, job training, mental health treatment, and rational sentencing.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding decarceration policies in Georgia. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Sentencing reform for non-violent offenses
- Expanded early release for eligible inmates
- Investment in rehabilitation over incarceration
- Evidence-based criminal justice policy
Further Reading
- A System Built for Failure: Georgia’s Parole Crisis
- $700 Million More—And Nothing to Show for It
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
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.
