Forced to Drink: Blue Water Scandal at Washington Prison
Georgia’s prison system is crumbling, and nowhere is this more evident than in the deteriorating infrastructure at facilities like Washington and Autry State Prisons. Most of these prisons, built over 30 years ago, have been neglected for decades, with maintenance funds mismanaged or outright stolen. At Washington State Prison, inmates are forced to bathe in and drink blue-tinted water while officials downplay the issue. Autry State Prison, shut down for over a year due to Legionella contamination, exemplifies how deeply the system has failed to prioritize health and safety.
This pattern of neglect is no accident—our investigation into the Georgia Department of Corrections (Justice for Sale) uncovered a web of no-bid contracts, corruption, and profiteering that allows funds meant for maintenance to vanish into private coffers. Instead of addressing these dire conditions, prison officials continue to prioritize profit over people, leaving inmates trapped in unsafe, inhumane environments. The question remains: how long will this systemic abuse be allowed to persist?
