Georgia spent $40 billion on Truth in Sentencing laws that peer-reviewed research proves increase prison violence 15%, reduce rehabilitation 14%, and raise recidivism 8%. The policies, enacted after receiving $82 million in federal grants, have created what the DOJ calls 'among the most severe constitutional violations' nationwide while making communities less safe.
- Georgia spent $40 billion on Truth in Sentencing laws that peer-reviewed research proves increase prison violence 15%, reduce rehabilitation 14%, and raise recidivism 8%. The policies, enacted after receiving $82 million in federal grants, have created what the DOJ calls ‘among the most severe constitutional violations’ nationwide while making communities less safe.
Key Facts
- Princeton economist Ilyana Kuziemko’s 2013 study of 78,393 Georgia inmates found Truth in Sentencing increased prison violence 15% and recidivism 8%
- Georgia received $82.2 million in federal grants (1996-2001) but spent approximately $40 billion on corrections over 30 years
- DOJ documented 142 homicides in Georgia prisons from 2018-2023, with 100 more homicides in 2024—triple the national average
- Correctional officer vacancy rates reached 60% by April 2023, with 82.7% of new officers quitting within their first year
- California’s reformed Three Strikes releases achieved 2% recidivism versus Georgia’s 16% state average
Quotables
Georgia’s 2019 homicide rate of 34 per 100,000 incarcerated people was nearly triple the national average of 12 per 100,000
The Court has long passed the point where it can assume that even sworn statements from the defendants are truthful
What’s New
- Academic research using Georgia’s own prison data proves Truth in Sentencing policies backfire by removing incentives for good behavior
- Trump administration’s abandonment of DOJ enforcement means no federal intervention despite documented constitutional violations
Accountability
Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver, and State Board of Pardons and Paroles Chair Terry Barnard oversee policies that academic research proves increase crime
Reporting Leads
- Interview Princeton economist Ilyana Kuziemko about her 2013 Georgia prison study findings
- Request Georgia Department of Corrections mortality data and compare official counts to GPS documentation
- Examine correctional officer turnover records and salary comparisons with neighboring states
Related Assets
Source Article
Georgia’s $40 Billion Mistake: How Bad Science and Federal Bribes Created a Constitutional CrisisPress Contact
Georgia Prisoners' Speak
media@gps.press