Georgia Spent $700 Million More on Prisons—Deaths Tripled, Staffing Collapsed

Georgia increased its prison budget by $700 million over four years, yet homicides rose from 8-9 annually to 100 in 2024, staffing remains 50-76% vacant, and the system was declared unconstitutional by the DOJ.

Between FY 2022 and FY 2026, Georgia added $700 million to its corrections budget—the fastest spending growth in agency history—yet prison homicides exploded from single digits to 100 deaths in 2024 alone. The spending surge represents a 58% increase in per-prisoner costs while delivering worse outcomes across every measurable metric, exposing how Georgia is overpaying for a fundamentally broken system rather than addressing its structural failures.

Facility Breakdown

What GPS Documented (Original Findings)

• Georgia allocates approximately $1.77-$2.20 per prisoner per day for food (GPS investigation Starved and Silenced)
• Three inmates (Jimmy Trammell, Ahmod Hatcher, Teddy Jackson) were killed at Washington State Prison on January 11, 2026 (WJCL and Georgia Public Broadcasting reports)
• Per-prisoner spending jumped from roughly $23,000 annually in FY 2022 to $36,400 in FY 2026 (GDC Cost Per Day Consolidated Summary FY 2024)

Data source: GPS analysis of GDC Monthly Reports and family interviews

What DOJ Already Confirmed

• Prison homicides rose from 8-9 annually in 2017-2018 to 37 in 2023, then to 100 in 2024 (Pages DOJ Investigation Report)
• Georgia's prison medical care violates the Eighth Amendment (Pages DOJ Investigation Report)
• Georgia prisons violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment (Pages DOJ Investigation Report)
• 333 total deaths in 2024, with 100 homicides (Pages DOJ Investigation Report)

What GDC Concealed

• How the $700 million spending increase was allocated across specific programs and initiatives
• Specific staffing numbers and vacancy rates by facility
• Details about the emergency Centurion Health contract award process
• Response to DOJ findings and timeline for addressing constitutional violations

Quotables

“I'm on my way home. I can't wait to see y'all.”

— Jimmy Trammell (via his aunt), three days before his death

“They were the cause of my son getting killed because they weren't doing their job.”

— Ahmod Hatcher's mother

“There's usually protections in place that failed or broke down and led to this kind of incident.”

— Criminologist (unnamed in article)

Story Angles

• Local: County families affected by prison deaths; local taxpayer cost of failed system ($700M could fund schools, infrastructure)
• Policy: How $700M spending increase bought worse outcomes; comparison to states achieving better results with similar budgets
• Accountability: Officials who ignored DOJ warnings while increasing spending; no-bid contracts and emergency procurements
• Data: Request facility-by-facility death rates, staffing data, and budget allocations to map spending vs. outcomes

Records Journalists Should Request

Georgia Open Records Act:

1. All incident reports, use of force reports, and investigative files related to the January 11, 2026 disturbance at Washington State Prison resulting in three deaths — Georgia Department of Corrections
2. All incident reports related to the January 12, 2026 attacks at Hancock State Prison resulting in five injuries — Georgia Department of Corrections
3. Complete $2.4 billion Centurion Health contract executed in 2024, all emergency procurement justification documents, and any legal challenges or complaints filed regarding the no-bid award process — Georgia Department of Corrections
4. All contract termination documents, financial settlement agreements, and performance reports related to Wellpath's exit from Georgia prison healthcare services in June 2024 — Georgia Department of Corrections
5. GDC Cost Per Day Consolidated Summary reports — Georgia Department of Corrections
6. Facility-by-facility staffing reports and vacancy data — Georgia Department of Corrections

Federal FOIA:

1. All correspondence between DOJ Civil Rights Division and Georgia Department of Corrections regarding constitutional violations — DOJ Civil Rights Division

Sources Available for Interview

Families:

• Family of Jimmy Trammell (aunt quoted)
• Family of Ahmod Hatcher (mother quoted)

Incarcerated Witnesses:

• Incarcerated witnesses to Washington State Prison riot, anonymous, background only

Experts:

• Criminologist (need to verify with Times Union source) — Academic institution (to be confirmed)

Officials Who Should Be Asked for Comment

• Tyrone Oliver, Commissioner — Head of agency that received $700 million increase while deaths tripled
• Brian Kemp, Governor — Announced $600 million corrections investments, framed spending as reform
• Nathan Deal, Former Governor — Implemented 2012 criminal justice reforms that temporarily stabilized costs

Questions GDC Has Not Answered

1. How the $700 million spending increase was allocated across specific programs and initiatives
2. Specific staffing numbers and vacancy rates by facility
3. Details about the emergency Centurion Health contract award process
4. Response to DOJ findings and timeline for addressing constitutional violations

Source Documents

• DOJ Investigation of Georgia's State Prisons October 2024 — Federal investigation finding constitutional violations and documenting 100 homicides in 2024
• Georgia Budget and Policy Institute FY 2026 corrections budget overview — Documents $700 million spending increase and 50-76% vacancy rates
• GDC Cost Per Day Consolidated Summary FY 2024 — Shows per-prisoner cost increase from $23,000 to $36,400