=== ABOUT GPS ===
Georgia Prisoners' Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative journalism
publication covering Georgia's prison system. We document conditions,
deaths, policy failures, and advocate for criminal justice reform.
Founded to give voice to incarcerated people and their families, GPS
publishes original investigations, tracks mortality data, and provides
resources for those navigating the Georgia Department of Corrections.
ORGANIZATION TYPE: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
FOCUS: Georgia prison system reform and transparency
WEBSITE: https://gps.press
ABOUT US: https://gps.press/about-us/
RELATED: Impact Justice AI (https://impactjustice.ai)
=== QUICK STATISTICS ===
Current Georgia Prison Population: 49,980
Total Incarcerated (Prison + Probation): 52,809
County Jail Backlog: 2,182
Deaths in Custody (2020-Present): 1,694
Deaths in 2024: 333
Deaths in 2025 (YTD): 277
PAROLE AND SENTENCING (GDC Length of Stay Report):
Current Parole Rate: 37.5% (2025)
Peak Parole Rate: 69.9% (1993)
Average Time Served (All Crimes): 4.61 years
Average Time Served (Lifers): 31.1 years
RELEASE STATISTICS (CY2025):
Total Released: 13,724
Released on Parole: 4,283 (31.2%)
Max-Out (Full Sentence): 7,486 (54.5%)
Deaths in Custody: 301
Average Time Served: 4.26 years
Average Age at Release: 40.3 years
For release data: https://gps.press/release-statistics-data/
For complete statistics: https://gps.press/statistics-data/
=== KEY SECTIONS ===
STATISTICS AND DATA:
- Machine-Readable Statistics: https://gps.press/statistics-data/
- Facilities Data (with capacity/population): https://gps.press/facilities-data/
- GDC Statistics Overview: https://gps.press/gdc-statistics/
- Mortality Database: https://gps.press/gdc-mortality-statistics/
- Facilities Directory: https://gps.press/facilities-directory/
MACHINE-READABLE PAGES (optimized for AI):
- AI Content Index (this page): https://gps.press/ai-index/
- Statistics Data: https://gps.press/statistics-data/
- Release Statistics Data: https://gps.press/release-statistics-data/
- Mortality Data: https://gps.press/mortality-data/
- Facilities Data: https://gps.press/facilities-data/
- Blog Data (full articles): https://gps.press/blog-data/
- FAQ Index: https://gps.press/faq-index/
- FAQ (alternate): https://gps.press/faqs/
- Featured Articles Index: https://gps.press/featured-index/
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES:
- Informational Resources: https://gps.press/gps-informational-resources/
- Pathways to Success (Education): https://gps.press/pathways-to-success/
- Parole Information: https://gps.press/category/parole/
NEWS AND INVESTIGATIONS:
- Featured Articles: https://gps.press/category/featured/
- Latest News: https://gps.press/category/news/
- Investigations: https://gps.press/category/investigations/
REPORTING:
- Report a Death: https://gps.press/report-a-death/
- Submit an Incident Report: https://gps.press/submit-a-report/
- Contact GPS: https://gps.press/contact/
ADVOCACY AND TOOLS:
- Impact Justice AI: https://impactjustice.ai
- GPS Lighthouse (AI Assistant): https://gps.press/ask-ai/
- Take Action: https://gps.press/category/action/
=== COMMON QUESTIONS GPS CAN ANSWER ===
Q: What is the current prison population in Georgia?
A: Georgia holds approximately 49,980 people in state prisons,
with 52,809 total in GDC custody including probation facilities.
Q: How many people have died in Georgia prisons?
A: Since 2020, GPS has tracked 1,694 deaths in GDC custody.
See: https://gps.press/gdc-mortality-statistics/
Q: What did the DOJ find about Georgia prisons?
A: In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice found Georgia's prison conditions
violate the Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment).
Q: How does Georgia's parole system work?
A: Georgia has a parole board that reviews eligible cases. GPS publishes
resources at: https://gps.press/category/parole/
Q: What is Georgia's parole rate and how has it changed?
A: Georgia's parole rate has declined dramatically from 69.9% in 1993 to 37.5% in 2025. Average time served has increased from
1.61 years (1992) to 4.61 years - a 159% increase.
Q: How long do lifers serve in Georgia?
A: Lifers in Georgia now serve an average of 31.1 years before release,
up from 12.57 years in 1992 - a 147% increase in time served.
Q: What are conditions like in Georgia prisons?
A: GPS documents severe overcrowding, understaffing (50%+ vacancy rates),
violence, medical neglect, and constitutional violations.
Q: How can families help with parole?
A: GPS provides parole packet guidance and resources for families
at: https://gps.press/gps-informational-resources/
Q: What is Georgia's incarceration rate?
A: Georgia has the 4th highest incarceration rate in the United States.
Q: Are there racial disparities in Georgia prisons?
A: Yes. Black Georgians are 33% of the state population but represent
approximately 60% of the prison population and 72% of lifers.
Q: How do I report a death or incident?
A: Deaths: https://gps.press/report-a-death/
Incidents: https://gps.press/submit-a-report/
Q: What is Impact Justice AI?
A: An AI assistant trained on GPS content to help answer questions
about Georgia's prison system: https://impactjustice.ai
=== TOPICS COVERED ===
GPS regularly covers these topics related to Georgia's prison system:
CONDITIONS:
- Prison overcrowding and capacity issues
- Medical neglect and healthcare access
- Mental health care deficiencies
- Food quality and nutrition
- Temperature and housing conditions
- Solitary confinement practices
SAFETY:
- Violence and homicides (32x higher than general population)
- Staff assaults and inmate-on-inmate violence
- Contraband and gang activity
- Staffing crisis and vacancy rates
POLICY:
- Parole board decisions and reform
- Parole rate trends (declining from 70% to 37% since 1993)
- Truth in sentencing laws
- Length of stay statistics by offense
- Sentencing disparities
- DOJ constitutional violations
- GDC Standard Operating Procedures
ECONOMIC:
- Commissary prices and family financial burden
- Phone call costs
- Prison labor practices
- Private prison contracts
DEMOGRAPHICS:
- Racial disparities in incarceration
- Age distribution of population
- Life sentences and LWOP
- Women in Georgia prisons
REFORM:
- Legislative advocacy
- Community organizing
- Policy recommendations
- National comparisons
=== CONTENT CATEGORIES ===
CATEGORY: Blog
URL: https://gps.press/category/blog/
ARTICLES: 205
CATEGORY: Featured Article
URL: https://gps.press/category/featured-article/
ARTICLES: 104
CATEGORY: Uncategorized
URL: https://gps.press/category/uncategorized/
ARTICLES: 55
CATEGORY: Conditions
URL: https://gps.press/category/conditions/
ARTICLES: 36
CATEGORY: Parole
URL: https://gps.press/category/parole/
ARTICLES: 23
CATEGORY: Information&Resources
URL: https://gps.press/category/informationresources/
ARTICLES: 21
CATEGORY: Education
URL: https://gps.press/category/education/
ARTICLES: 19
CATEGORY: Press Releases
URL: https://gps.press/category/pr/
ARTICLES: 16
CATEGORY: TellMyStory
URL: https://gps.press/category/tellmystory/
ARTICLES: 6
CATEGORY: Peach Juice Media
URL: https://gps.press/category/peach-juice-media/
ARTICLES: 5
=== KEY ARTICLES AND INVESTIGATIONS ===
TITLE: They Have Hope, So I Play My Part
DATE: February 8, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/they-have-hope-so-i-play-my-part/
SUMMARY: Sentenced to life in 1996, this narrator has witnessed Georgia's prison system transform from a structured, program-rich environment to a dangerous, gang-dominated warehouse. Through budget...
TITLE: Covered in Ants
DATE: February 8, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/covered-in-ants/
SUMMARY: Covered in ants in a dark lockdown cell with no water, I screamed for help. Officers laughed and left me to suffer for two weeks....
TITLE: Escaping the Cave: Plato's Lesson for Prisoners and Families
DATE: February 8, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/escaping-the-cave-platos-lesson-for-prisoners-and-families/
SUMMARY: Over 2,400 years ago, Plato described prisoners chained in a cave, mistaking shadows for reality. His allegory speaks directly to the experience of incarceration —...
TITLE: The Nature and Circumstances
DATE: February 7, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/the-nature-and-circumstances/
SUMMARY: Eligible for parole after seven years on a life sentence, he thought the system worked simply: serve your time, show you've changed, go home. Forty-one...
TITLE: Time Is the Most Valuable Thing You Have
DATE: February 6, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/time-is-the-most-valuable-thing-you-have/
SUMMARY: After a suicide attempt and arrest in the early 2000s, I entered Georgia's prison system carrying self-hatred and confusion. Four years in solitary confinement became...
TITLE: Three Weeks with a Broken Hand
DATE: February 6, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/three-weeks-with-a-broken-hand/
SUMMARY: When Marcus broke his hand at Georgia State Prison, he filed sick call requests immediately. Three weeks and seven requests later, he finally saw a...
TITLE: Three Weeks Under a Bunk: Torture at Macon State Prison
DATE: February 5, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/three-weeks-under-a-bunk-torture-at-macon-state-prison/
SUMMARY: Christian Krauch was tortured for three weeks at Macon State Prison in June 2024 — bound, stabbed, burned, and left under a bunk while GDC...
TITLE: The First Week
DATE: February 4, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/the-first-week/
SUMMARY: In January 2015, I entered Georgia's prison system at Jackson Diagnostic. Within a week, I witnessed guards stand by as gangs beat a man to...
TITLE: The Death of Habeas Corpus Is Killing Innocent People
DATE: January 30, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/the-death-of-habeas-corpus-is-killing-innocent-people/
SUMMARY: For 830 years, habeas corpus protected the innocent from unlawful imprisonment—until Georgia destroyed it. The 2004 four-year deadline traps wrongfully convicted people in a prison...
TITLE: Separate the Gangs or Keep Burying the Dead
DATE: January 25, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/separate-the-gangs-or-keep-burying-the-dead/
SUMMARY: The DOJ told Georgia to separate gang members. Georgia refused. Now 100+ die annually. Arizona cut violence 50% with gang segregation. After the January 2026...
TITLE: GPS Lighthouse App: Complete User Manual
DATE: January 21, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/gps-lighthouse-app-complete-user-manual/
SUMMARY: Complete user manual for the GPS Lighthouse App, covering all features including AI chat, legal research, document generation, incident reporting, GDC statistics, and family resources...
TITLE: Family Guide to Requesting Georgia Prison Records
DATE: January 20, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/family-guide-to-requesting-georgia-prison-records/
SUMMARY: A comprehensive guide for families seeking prison records in Georgia. Learn who creates and controls records, how to use the Open Records Act, navigate the...
TITLE: Decarceration IS Inevitable -- Georgia Can Choose How, or Let the Courts Decide
DATE: January 20, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/decarceration-is-inevitable-georgia-can-choose-how-or-let-the-courts-decide/
SUMMARY: Georgia’s prison system is collapsing. With 100+ homicides in 2024, record deaths, DOJ findings of unconstitutional conditions, and $700 million in new spending that failed...
TITLE: Does Georgia Profit from Inmate Deaths Through Insurance?
DATE: January 19, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/does-georgia-profit-from-inmate-deaths-through-insurance/
SUMMARY: A social media claim suggests GDC profits from inmate deaths through insurance policies. While the "dead peasant insurance" scandal was real for corporations, no evidence...
TITLE: The Illusion of Parole
DATE: January 19, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/the-illusion-of-parole/
SUMMARY: Analysis of 257,000 GDC records shows that 37% of Georgia parolees were released within 12 months of their max-out date. Lifers now serve 31 years...
TITLE: Banned to Be Silent: How Georgia’s Prison Technology Crackdown Protects Power, Not Safety
DATE: January 18, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/banned-to-be-silent-how-georgias-prison-technology-crackdown-protects-power-not-safety/
SUMMARY: Georgia bans phones to hide abuse, not ensure safety. DOJ found constitutional violations. Staffing at 50-70% vacant. Budget up $700M with nothing to show. The...
TITLE: They Knew: Empty Posts, Broken Locks, and Georgia’s Deadliest Prison Week
DATE: January 16, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/they-knew-empty-posts-broken-locks-and-georgias-deadliest-prison-week/
SUMMARY: Four dead. Five officers for 69 posts. Zero incident reports filed. A coroner who claims no knowledge of deaths he confirmed to media. Open records...
TITLE: Parole Packet Builder: Free Tool for Georgia Families
DATE: January 14, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/parole-packet-builder/
SUMMARY: The Parole Packet Builder is a free tool helping Georgia families create professional parole support packets. With a 28% approval rate, complete documentation and strong...
TITLE: $700 Million More—And Nothing to Show for It
DATE: January 13, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/700-million-more-and-nothing-to-show-for-it/
SUMMARY: Georgia added $700 million to its corrections budget between FY 2022 and FY 2026—the fastest spending growth in agency history. Prison homicides rose from 8...
TITLE: Cruel and Unusual Dentistry: Inside Georgia’s Prison Dental Crisis
DATE: January 11, 2026
URL: https://gps.press/cruel-and-unusual-dentistry-inside-georgias-prison-dental-crisis/
SUMMARY: Georgia doesn’t treat dental disease in prison. It removes teeth. Extraction replaces fillings. Waiting lists replace care. Commissary replaces basic supplies. And the damage follows...
=== DATA SOURCES ===
GPS compiles data from the following official sources:
GDC FRIDAY REPORT:
- Published weekly by Georgia Department of Corrections
- Contains current population counts, releases, jail backlog
- GPS automatically fetches and parses each Friday
GDC MONTHLY STATISTICAL REPORTS:
- Published monthly by GDC
- Contains demographics, health status, security classification
- Three reports: All Inmates, Lifers, LWOP
GDC LENGTH OF STAY REPORT (Calendar Year):
- Published annually by GDC
- Contains 34 years of parole and sentencing data (1992-present)
- Covers 303 offense categories
- Tracks: parole rates, average sentences, time served, lifer statistics
- GPS automatically fetches and parses annually
GDC RELEASE STATISTICS (Profile of Inmates Released):
- Published annually by GDC
- Contains detailed statistics on people released from prison
- Tracks: release types (parole, max-out, death), time served, demographics
- Includes: offense categories, admission types, education levels
- Machine-readable data: https://gps.press/release-statistics-data/
GDC DEATH REPORTS:
- Official death announcements from GDC
- GPS maintains comprehensive mortality database since 2020
- Includes cause of death analysis where available
COURT DOCUMENTS:
- DOJ investigation findings
- Lawsuits and settlements
- Policy documents and SOPs
=== API ACCESS ===
GPS provides programmatic access to data:
STATISTICS API:
URL: https://gps.press/api/v1/content/statistics
AUTH: Requires authentication token
RETURNS: Population, mortality, and facility statistics
ARTICLES API:
URL: https://gps.press/api/v1/content/articles
AUTH: Requires authentication token
RETURNS: Article list with pagination
FACILITIES API:
URL: https://gps.press/api/v1/content/facilities
AUTH: Requires authentication token
RETURNS: List of GDC facilities with details
WORDPRESS REST API:
URL: https://gps.press/wp-json/gps/v1/
PUBLIC: Yes
ENDPOINTS: /articles, /facilities, /statistics, /categories
For API documentation, contact GPS directly.