Emanuel Unit S_50001266
Facility Information
- Current Population
- 84
- Active Lifers
- 1 (1.2% of population) · May 2026 GDC report
- Address
- GA
- Operator
- GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections)
About
Emanuel Unit (GDC facility ID S_50001266) operates within a Georgia Department of Corrections system that GPS tracking data shows has recorded 1,795 deaths since 2020, with homicide counts that GPS independently documents as significantly undercounted due to the GDC's refusal to publicly release cause-of-death information. The broader GDC system logged 333 deaths in 2024 — its deadliest year in the GPS database — followed by 301 in 2025 and 95 in the first four months of 2026 alone, reflecting a mortality crisis that shows no sign of abating. Emanuel Unit exists within this systemic context of record violence, chronic understaffing, contraband proliferation, and near-total institutional opacity.
Key Facts
- 1,795 Total deaths tracked by GPS across GDC system, 2020–May 2026
- 333 Deaths in 2024 — deadliest year in GPS database, including 45 GPS-confirmed homicides
- 95 Deaths already recorded by GPS in 2026 through May 5, including 27 confirmed homicides
- ~$20M Georgia paid nearly $20 million since 2018 to settle claims involving GDC prisoner deaths and injuries
- 2,481 People in county jail backlog waiting for GDC bed space as of May 1, 2026
- 1,243 GDC inmates system-wide flagged as having poorly controlled health conditions as of May 2026
By the Numbers
- 1,797 Total Deaths Tracked by GPS
- 29 Confirmed Homicides in 2026
- 1,243 Poorly Controlled Health Conditions
- 6 Terminally Ill Inmates
- 40.99 Average Inmate Age
- 30,138 Violent Offenders (56.39%)
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 2025 | 99 | Routine | |
| Jun 12, 2025 | 93 | Routine | |
| Sep 19, 2024 | 99 | Routine | |
| Dec 14, 2023 | 93 | Routine | |
| Jun 26, 2023 | 94 | Routine |
December 10, 2025 — Score 99
Routine · Inspector: DAVID LEE
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | The light cover in dry storage is broken and needs to be repaired. |
June 12, 2025 — Score 93
Routine · Inspector: Rebecca Clifton
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12A |
contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(q) - food storage (c) | 3 | Observed bulk bags that need to be better sealed--bins ordered. CA: Keep dry good bulk items tightly sealed. |
| 15C | nonfood-contact surfaces clean | 1 | Observed dusty fan (not working--remove/replace). CA: Clean fan thoroughly. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Observed flies. Observed gap under back door. CA: Control fly problem. |
September 19, 2024 — Score 99
Routine · Inspector: Rebecca Clifton
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Observed dusty fan; flour accumulation in areas. CA: Clean kitchen thoroughly. |
December 14, 2023 — Score 93
Routine · Inspector: Rebecca Clifton
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D |
adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.07(3)(a) - handwashing cleanser, availability (pf) | 4 | Observed bar soap at hand sink and no hand soap in dispenser CA: Keep soap at hand sink at all times, bar soap is not sufficient. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Observed rodent evidence in pantry area. CA: Rid kitchen of rodents. |
June 26, 2023 — Score 94
Routine · Inspector: Rebecca Clifton
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12C | wiping cloths: properly used and stored Corrected | 3 | Observed several cloths on prep tables throughout the kitchen. CA: Keep cloths in sanitizer in between uses. (COS) |
| 18 | insects, rodents, and animals not present | 3 | Flies observed in back kitchen area. CA: Control flies by contracting with a licensed PCO. |
Facility Overview
Emanuel Unit S_50001266
Population and Capacity
Current population: 84.
GPS Monitoring
GPS tracks this facility through weekly population reports, mortality records, and public records monitoring. Intelligence will be expanded as additional reporting and source material becomes available.