DODGE STATE PRISON
Facility Information
- Original Design Capacity
- 404 (at 301% capacity)
- Bed Capacity
- 1,236 beds
- Current Population
- 1,215
- Active Lifers
- 133 (10.9% of population) · May 2026 GDC report
Read: Brown v. Plata - A Legal Roadmap for Georgia's Prison Crisis →
- Address
- 2971 Old Bethel Road, Chester, GA 31012
- Mailing Address
- P.O. Box 276, Chester, GA 31012
- County
- Dodge County
- Opened
- 1983
- Operator
- GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections)
- Warden
- Curtis Todd
- Phone
- (478) 358-7201
- Fax
- (478) 358-7303
- Staff
- Deputy Warden Security: Karen Thomas
- Deputy Warden C&T: Khalilah Williams
- Deputy Warden Admin: Alicia Ward
About
Dodge State Prison operates within a Georgia Department of Corrections system that GPS has independently tracked as experiencing catastrophic, system-wide violence — with 1,795 total deaths recorded across GDC facilities since 2020, including 27 confirmed homicides in the first four months of 2026 alone. The broader GDC crisis, documented by consultants hired by Gov. Brian Kemp and independently corroborated by GPS's reporting network, involves gang factions effectively running facilities, emergency-level staffing vacancies, and broken infrastructure that makes violence endemic. Dodge State Prison exists within this context of institutional collapse, as Georgia's prison system continues to operate in what consultants have called 'emergency mode' with no comprehensive strategy for the gang violence and classification failures driving deaths.
Leadership & Accountability (as of 2026 records)
Officials currently holding positional authority at this facility, with deaths attributed to GPS-tracked records during their leadership tenure. Inclusion reflects role-based accountability, not legal findings of personal culpability. Death counts shown as facility / career.
| Role | Name | Since | Deaths this facility / career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warden (facility lead) | Todd, Curtis J | 2026-01-16 | — / — |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Thomas, Karen | 2025-01-01 | 3 / 3 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2025-01-01 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Ward, Alicia Necole | 2025-01-01 | 2 / 2 |
Key Facts
- 1,795 Total deaths tracked by GPS across GDC facilities, 2020–May 2026
- 27 Confirmed homicides tracked by GPS across GDC system in first 4 months of 2026
- 315 Distinct gangs identified by GDC operating inside Georgia prisons, with 31% of incarcerated population validated as gang-affiliated
- $20M Georgia paid nearly $20 million since 2018 to settle claims involving GDC prisoner deaths and injuries
- 20 of 34 GDC prisons with staffing vacancies at 'emergency levels,' per consultants hired by Gov. Kemp (January 2025)
- 2,481 People backlogged in county jails awaiting GDC transfer as of May 1, 2026, adding pressure to an already strained system
By the Numbers
- 301 Deaths in 2025 (GPS tracked)
- 51 Confirmed Homicides in 2025
- 13,057 Close Security (24.38%)
- 6 Terminally Ill Inmates
- 8,108 In Private Prisons
- 40.99 Average Inmate Age
Mortality Statistics
15 deaths documented at this facility from 2020 to present.
Deaths by Year
- 2026: 0
- 2025: 2
- 2024: 1
- 2023: 2
- 2022: 3
- 2021: 2
- 2020: 5
County Public Health Department
Food service and sanitation at DODGE STATE PRISON fall under the jurisdiction of the Dodge County Environmental Health Department. Incarcerated people cannot choose where they eat — public health inspectors carry an elevated responsibility to hold this kitchen to the same standards applied to any restaurant.
Contact
- Title
- EH Specialist
- Name
- Jeremiah Arowolo
- Address
-
1121 Plaza Avenue
Eastman, GA 31023 - Phone
- (478) 374-5576
- dodge.eh@dph.ga.gov
- Website
- Visit department website →
Why this matters
GPS has documented black mold on chow-hall ceilings, cold and contaminated trays, spoiled milk, and pest contamination at Georgia prisons. The Department of Justice's 2024 report confirmed deaths from dehydration and untreated diabetes tied to food and water deprivation. Advance-notice inspections let facilities stage temporary fixes that disappear once inspectors leave.
Unannounced inspections by the county health department are one of the few outside checks on kitchen conditions behind the fence.
How you can help
Write to the county inspector and request an unannounced inspection of the kitchen and food service operation at this facility. A short, respectful letter citing Georgia food-safety regulations is more powerful than you think — inspectors respond to public concern.
Sample Letter
This is the letter Georgia Prisoners' Speak mailed to all county environmental health inspectors responsible for GDC facilities. Feel free to adapt it.
May 16, 2026
RE: Request for Unannounced Public Health Inspection of Food Service Operations at DODGE STATE PRISON
Dear Jeremiah Arowolo,
I am writing to respectfully request that your office conduct a thorough, unannounced inspection of food service and sanitation practices at DODGE STATE PRISON, located in Dodge County.
Documented concerns
Georgia Prisoners' Speak, a nonprofit public advocacy organization, has published extensive investigative reporting on food safety and nutrition failures across Georgia's prison system, including:
- Dangerous sanitation conditions — black mold on chow hall ceilings and air vents, contaminated food trays, and spoiled milk served to inmates.
- Severe nutritional deficiency — roughly 60 cents per meal; inmates receive only 40% of required protein and less than one serving of vegetables per day.
- Preventable deaths — the U.S. Department of Justice's 2024 report confirmed deaths from dehydration, renal failure, and untreated diabetes following food and water deprivation.
- Staged compliance — advance-notice inspections allow facilities to stage temporary improvements, then revert once inspectors leave.
Firsthand testimony
In Surviving on Scraps: Ten Years of Prison Food in Georgia, a person who has spent more than ten years in GDC custody describes no functional dishwashing sanitation, chronic mold on food trays, and roaches found on the undersides of trays at intake facilities. Full account: gps.press/surviving-on-scraps-ten-years-of-prison-food-in-georgia.
Specific requests
- Conduct an unannounced inspection of the kitchen and food service operations at this facility, with particular attention to dishwashing equipment, tray sanitation procedures, and food storage conditions.
- Evaluate compliance with applicable Georgia food safety regulations, including O.C.G.A. § 26-2-370 and the Georgia Food Service Rules and Regulations (Chapter 511-6-1).
- Verify permit status and confirm whether the facility is subject to the same inspection schedule as other institutional food service establishments in the county.
- Make inspection results available to the public, as permitted under Georgia's Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70).
Incarcerated individuals cannot advocate for their own health and safety in the way a restaurant patron can — they cannot choose to eat elsewhere. This places an elevated responsibility on public health officials to ensure these facilities meet the same sanitation standards applied to any food service establishment.
Thank you for your attention to this important public health matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Food Safety Inspections
Georgia Department of Public Health
What the score doesn't measure. DPH grades kitchen compliance on inspection day — food storage, temperatures, pest control. It does not grade whether today's trays are clean. GPS reporting has found broken dishwashers at most Georgia state prisons we've documented; trays go out wet, stacked, and visibly moldy — including at facilities with recent scores near 100.
Who inspects. Most Georgia state prisons sit in rural counties — often with fewer than 20,000 people, several with fewer than 10,000. The environmental health inspector lives in that community and often knows the kitchen staff personally. Rural inspection regimes don't have the structural independence you'd expect in a city-sized health department. Read the scores accordingly.
Read the investigation: “Dunked, Stacked and Served: Why Georgia Prison Trays Are Making People Sick”
Recent inspections
| Date | Score | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2025 | 84 | Routine | |
| Jun 5, 2025 | 94 | Routine | |
| Nov 21, 2024 | 87 | Routine | |
| Jun 20, 2024 | 89 | Routine | |
| Dec 29, 2023 | 95 | Routine |
November 20, 2025 — Score 84
Routine · Inspector: Jaime Williams
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2B |
food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(7)(b) - food contact surfaces and utensils - cleaning frequency (p, c) | 4 | Bulk ice machine was observed with mold build up on interior unit needs to be cleaned more frequently to avoid accumulation. Needs to be cleaned within 72 Hours |
| 1A |
proper cold holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p) Corrected | 9 | Cold hold equipment on the serving line is not working. Cole slaw temped at 74 degrees and it was sitting on ice. COS staff discarded the food product and brought out a new pan of prepped cole slaw and demonstrated the proper techniques of submerging metal down into ice where ice is on bottom and on sides of container in line with depth of food in container. |
| 1B | proper hot holding temperatures Corrected | 9 | Hot hold violation fish sticks not maintaining proper hot hot temps at 135 degree minimum or above. temps were reading 120, 124, and staff corrected on site and reheated till they reached 167 degrees |
| 12B |
personal cleanliness 511-6-1.03(5)(g) - jewelry (c) | 3 | Staff observed swearing rings and bracelets while working in the kitchen with food equipment etc. |
June 5, 2025 — Score 94
Routine · Inspector: Jaime Williams
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15A |
food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(q)1&3 - good repair & calibration (c) | 1 | Observed St Up CH Unit Behind Gate where Large Boil pots are stored still not in operation. Unit either needs to be fixed and in working order with proper out of order signage on equipment |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat | 2 | Plumbing leaks at faucet, pipes, spray nozzle, and line equipment not sealed sink to counter in the warewash room all leaks in equipment need to be fixed accordingly. |
| 17C |
physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean 511-6-1.07(5)(a),(b) - good repair, physical facilities maintained; cleaning, frequency & restrictions, cleaned often enough to keep them clean (c) Repeat | 1 | Floor tile missing in facility. Floors need to be fixed against broken tile and needs to be sealed. Also tiles in entrance of kitchen where Chemicals and Vomit kit are stored and in room adjacent have heavy mold build up on ceiling tiles. These need to be replaced with smooth water resistant easily cleanable tiles. |
November 21, 2024 — Score 87
Routine · Inspector: Jaime Williams
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1B |
proper hot holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; hot holding (p) | 9 | Hot holding violation observed chicken diced at serving line temping at 125, went to hot hold box they temped at 111 and 102. While other hheld items near the stoves were at 156, fish sticks and 152 respectively 2 hot hold wells not observed turned on which the chicken was sitting in. Staff immediately pulled all chicken to started reheating process. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat | 2 | Plumbing leaks at faucet, pipes, spray nozzle, and linc equipment not sealed sink to counter all leaks need to be fixed accordingly. |
| 17C |
physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean 511-6-1.07(5)(a),(b) - good repair, physical facilities maintained; cleaning, frequency & restrictions, cleaned often enough to keep them clean (c) | 1 | Floor tile missing in warewash facilities. Floors need to be fixed against broken tile and needs to be sealed. |
| 17D |
adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas used 511-6-1.07(3)(f) - lighting intensity, adequate in food prep, storage & service areas (c) | 1 | Lights multiple above stoves out need to be replaced as needed. |
June 20, 2024 — Score 89
Routine · Inspector: Jaime Williams
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2B |
food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(7)(b) - food contact surfaces and utensils - cleaning frequency (p, c) Repeat | 4 | Bulk ice machine was observed with mold build up on interior unit needs to be cleaned more frequently to avoid accumulation. |
| 16A |
hot and cold water available; adequate pressure 511-6-1.06(1)(i) - system, approved, installed (pf) | 2 | Warewash Machine is not currently working using alternative method to wash trays until unit is fixed. Also plumbing fixtures need to be fixed at hand wash sink. you have to push and hold top fixtures--- they need to be properly time calibrated to shut off on a timer or they need to be floor pedals |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) | 2 | Warewash Machine is not currently working using alternative method to wash trays until unit is fixed. Also plumbing fixtures need to be fixed at hand wash sink. you have to push and hold top fixtures--- they need to be properly time calibrated to shut off on a timer or they need to be floor pedals |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Saw numerous roaches throughout the facility kitchen, Practices need to be put into place and pest control measures need to be taken to control pests. |
December 29, 2023 — Score 95
Routine · Inspector: Jaime Williams
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2B |
food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(7)(b) - food contact surfaces and utensils - cleaning frequency (p, c) | 4 | Bulk ice machine was observed with mold build up on interior unit needs to be cleaned more frequently to avoid accumulation. |
| 17D |
adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas used 511-6-1.07(3)(f) - lighting intensity, adequate in food prep, storage & service areas (c) | 1 | Light bulbs need to be replaced as needed. Noted as not working above stoves. |
Dodge State Prison, a medium-security men's facility in Chester, Georgia, has been the site of in-custody deaths involving traumatic injury during a period of broader crisis across the Georgia Department of Corrections. The available public record on Dodge is thin relative to the scale of incidents reported there, but two deaths in 2022 — both involving blunt-force or traumatic injury rather than medical causes — establish a documentary baseline for how violence has manifested inside the facility.
Two 2022 Deaths Involving Traumatic Injury
The two publicly reported deaths at Dodge State Prison in 2022 share a common feature: both men died from physical trauma, not from natural or medical causes. News reporting documented the death of Douglas Anthony Forts, 57, on June 2, 2022. Forts died from acute traumatic amputation of a finger sustained during a fight — an injury whose lethality points to either catastrophic blood loss or downstream complications that went unaddressed in the critical window after the altercation. That a finger amputation became a fatal injury inside a state prison raises questions about the speed and adequacy of the medical response, the supervision conditions that allowed the fight to occur, and whether interventions that would be routine in a community emergency-room setting were available or timely at Dodge.
Roughly three months later, on September 14, 2022, Hezekiah Sha'Nard Cuyler, 21, died at the same facility from blunt force trauma to the head. Cuyler was decades younger than Forts; the only common thread between the two deaths is the mechanism — physical violence, fatal outcome, inside the walls. Two trauma deaths at one medium-security facility within a single calendar year is the kind of cluster that, in any other custodial setting, would prompt institutional review. Both deaths remain unverified beyond the initial news reporting, and neither has surfaced detailed public findings as to circumstances, accountability, or corrective action.
Sources
This analysis draws on news reporting documenting two in-custody deaths at Dodge State Prison in 2022. The underlying circumstances of both deaths remain unverified in the public record beyond the initial reporting.
Timeline (2)
Source Articles (9)
Former leadership
Officials who previously held leadership roles at this facility.
| Role | Name | Tenure | Deaths this facility / career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warden (facility lead) | COX, Eric | 2025-07-16 → 2026-01-15 | — / 50 |
| Warden (facility lead) | Thomas, Micheal | 2024-03-01 → 2025-07-15 | 3 / 20 |
| WARDEN 1 (facility lead) | Thomas, Micheal | 2024-01-01 → 2024-02-29 | 3 / 20 |
| Deputy Warden of Administration (facility deputy) | Ward, Alicia Necole | 2024-12-01 → present | 2 / 2 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Thomas, Karen | 2024-01-01 → 2024-12-31 | 3 / 3 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2024-01-01 → 2024-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2023-01-01 → 2023-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Jackson, Kendric | 2022-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 3 / 18 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2022-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2021-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2020-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Blair, Sherryl F | 2019-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | — / 1 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2019-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2018-01-01 → 2018-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Williams, Khalilah J | 2017-01-01 → 2017-12-31 | 15 / 15 |
Location
Aerial View
Architecture documents what the building was designed to hold. See the system-wide receipts at gps.press/warehouse.