Advocacy Resource Center
You don’t need a law degree or political connections to make a difference. This guide gives you everything you need to advocate effectively for your loved ones and for systemic change in Georgia’s prison system.
Your Voice Has Power
The U.S. Department of Justice has formally found that Georgia violates the Eighth Amendment by failing to protect incarcerated people from violence and sexual harm. This is the most powerful federal tool advocates have ever had to demand systemic reform — and it confirms what families have been saying for years about rampant violence, severe understaffing, and systemic medical neglect that costs lives.
Legislators respond to constituent pressure. Media covers stories that people care about. And every email, phone call, or public comment adds weight to the demand for accountability. The families and communities most affected by this crisis are the most credible voices for change.
But advocacy works best when it’s grounded in facts. That’s why we created these resources — to put the same data journalists and legislators use directly into your hands, written in clear language, so you can speak with authority about what’s happening inside Georgia’s prisons.
How to Become an Effective Advocate
You don’t need experience. You just need to start. Here are five steps that will make your advocacy count:
Learn the Facts
Read our Research Explainers — they translate complex prison data into plain language. You’ll understand what’s actually happening: how many people are dying, why medical care fails, what the state is spending, and what they’re getting wrong.
When you cite real numbers in a letter or phone call, officials take you seriously.
Pick Your Issue
You don’t have to fight every battle at once. Pick the issue that matters most to you — medical neglect, violence, staffing, parole delays, conditions of confinement — and go deep. Our explainers are organized by topic, so you can become the expert on the issue that affects your family.
Use Impact Justice AI to Write Your Message
Impact Justice AI is a free tool that helps you write professional advocacy emails to legislators, the Governor, the GDC Commissioner, and media outlets. You choose your topic, tell your story in your own words, and the AI helps you turn it into a polished, fact-backed message. It even sends it for you.
Share With Others
Forward our explainers and articles to friends, family, church groups, and community organizations. Share on social media. The more people who see the data, the louder the call for accountability becomes. You can also use our GPS Lighthouse AI to ask questions and get shareable answers about Georgia’s prison system.
Keep Going
One email matters. Ten emails from ten different people matter even more. Advocacy isn’t a one-time thing — it’s sustained pressure that forces change. Sign up for GPS updates so you know when new data drops, when bills are introduced, and when your voice is needed most.
Understanding Our Research
GPS publishes detailed research on Georgia’s prison system. We know not everyone has time to read a 30-page analysis — so we create Research Explainers that break down our findings into clear, readable summaries written specifically for families and community members.
What You’ll Find in Each Explainer
- The Bottom Line — A plain-language summary of what we found and why it matters to you
- Key Numbers — The most important statistics, explained in context
- What This Means for Families — How this research connects to the daily reality inside GDC facilities
- What You Can Do — Specific, actionable steps you can take right now
Tip: When writing to a legislator or making a public comment, reference specific numbers from our explainers. For example: “According to GPS research, Georgia spends over $1.80 billion annually on corrections, yet the DOJ formally found that Georgia violates the constitutional rights of incarcerated people.” Specific data is more persuasive than general complaints.
Browse All Research Explainers
Our Research Explainer library covers medical neglect, violence, staffing, fiscal analysis, parole, and more. Each one is written in plain language with the data you need to speak with authority.
View Research Explainers →How to Use Impact Justice AI
Impact Justice AI is a free tool built by GPS that helps you write and send professional advocacy emails to decision-makers. You don’t need to be a good writer — the AI does the heavy lifting. Here’s exactly how it works:
Go to impactjustice.ai
Open impactjustice.ai on your phone or computer. No account needed — it’s completely free and anonymous.
Pick a Topic
Choose from over 25 pre-loaded advocacy topics — medical neglect, violence, staffing shortages, parole reform, solitary confinement, and more. Each topic comes pre-loaded with relevant facts and data from GPS research.
Choose Your Recipients
Send to the Governor, GDC Commissioner, your state legislators, or media outlets. Impact Justice AI knows who represents your district and includes the right contact information automatically.
Add Your Personal Story
This is the most important part. Tell the AI what you’ve experienced. A few sentences is enough — “My brother has been waiting 6 months to see a specialist” or “The facility won’t let us visit because of staffing.” Your personal experience makes the email real and impossible to ignore.
Review and Send
The AI generates a professional email that combines your story with relevant data and a specific ask. Read it over, make any changes you want, and hit send. The email goes directly to the officials you chose. That’s it — you just advocated.
Privacy Note: Impact Justice AI does not collect your personal information. Your emails are sent anonymously through a secure forwarding system. Officials cannot see your email address or personal details unless you choose to include them in your message. Learn more about Impact Justice AI →
How to Make Your Advocacy Count
Not all advocacy is equally effective. Here’s what works — and what doesn’t — when trying to create change in Georgia’s corrections system.
✓ Do This
- Lead with facts. “301 people died in GDC custody in 2025” hits harder than “a lot of people are dying.”
- Tell your personal story. Legislators remember stories. A specific experience at a specific facility is more powerful than general criticism.
- Name the facility. Officials can’t fix what they can’t identify. Always name the prison and the approximate date.
- Make a specific ask. “Support HB 123” or “Investigate medical care at Facility X” gives officials something concrete to act on.
- Be persistent. Send follow-up emails. Call their office. Show up at town halls. Repeat your message.
- Organize. Get five friends to send the same message. Volume matters more than eloquence.
✗ Avoid This
- Don’t make threats. Threatening language gets your message deleted and may get you flagged. Keep it professional.
- Don’t exaggerate. The truth about GDC is damning enough. Making claims you can’t back up undermines your credibility.
- Don’t be vague. “The prisons are bad” doesn’t move anyone. Be specific about what’s broken and what you want done.
- Don’t give up after one try. Your first email probably won’t change the world. The 50th email from 50 different people might.
- Don’t go it alone. Connect with other families. Follow GPS on social media. Attend community meetings when you can.
- Don’t include sensitive case details. Don’t share inmate IDs, pending legal details, or information that could put someone at risk.
What to Say (and How to Say It)
Not sure where to start? Here are examples of effective advocacy language you can adapt. Impact Justice AI generates messages like these automatically, but these samples show you the formula:
To a State Legislator
“As your constituent in [District], I’m writing about the crisis in Georgia’s prison system. The U.S. Department of Justice has formally found that Georgia violates the Eighth Amendment by failing to protect incarcerated people from violence — and 301 people died in GDC custody in 2025 alone. My [family member] at [Facility] has been waiting [X months] to see a specialist for [condition]. I’m asking you to support increased oversight funding for GDC medical care and to hold hearings on the DOJ’s findings.”
To the Governor
“Governor Kemp, Georgia spends $1.80 billion annually on corrections, yet the U.S. Department of Justice has formally found that Georgia violates incarcerated people’s constitutional rights. I’m a [relationship] of someone incarcerated at [Facility], and I’ve witnessed [specific issue]. I’m asking you to direct the GDC Commissioner to take immediate steps to address [specific problem] and to publicly respond to the DOJ’s findings.”
To Media
“I’m reaching out because I believe there’s an important story at [Facility]. My [family member] has experienced [specific issue], and based on data from Georgia Prisoners’ Speak, this appears to be part of a broader pattern — [cite specific statistic]. I’m willing to share more details on background. GPS has additional data available at gps.press.”
These are starting points. Your real story will always be more powerful than any template. Impact Justice AI personalizes each message based on what you tell it.
GPS Resources for Advocates
Everything you need to advocate effectively is free and publicly available:
Research Explainers
Complex prison data translated into plain language. Covers medical neglect, violence, staffing, fiscal waste, and more.
Browse Explainers →Impact Justice AI
Free tool that writes and sends professional advocacy emails to legislators, the Governor, and media on your behalf.
Open Impact Justice AI →GPS Lighthouse AI
Ask any question about Georgia’s prison system and get an instant, data-backed answer with sources. Great for research.
Ask a Question →GDC Statistics Dashboard
Population, demographics, weekly facility reports, and trend data updated regularly from official GDC sources.
View Statistics →Death Records Database
Searchable database of deaths in GDC custody with facility details, dates, and cause information where available.
Search Death Records →GDC Facility Directory
Every Georgia prison and transitional center with population data, capacity, security level, and staffing information.
View Facilities →GDC Policy Library
Over 560 GDC Standard Operating Procedures and Board Rules. Know the rules they’re supposed to follow.
Browse Policies →Submit a Report
Have information about conditions inside a GDC facility? Submit a confidential report to GPS investigators.
Submit a Report →About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak is an independent journalism and advocacy organization that documents conditions inside Georgia’s prison system. We collect data directly from official GDC sources, public records, and reports from incarcerated people and their families.
Our mission is to make the reality of Georgia’s corrections system visible and undeniable. We provide the facts. You provide the pressure.
We are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice. For legal assistance, contact the Southern Center for Human Rights, the ACLU of Georgia, or Georgia Legal Aid.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Every message to a legislator, every story shared, every fact cited builds the case for change. Start now.