RUTLEDGE STATE PRISON

April 26, 2026

RE: Request for Unannounced Public Health Inspection of Food Service Operations at RUTLEDGE STATE PRISON

Dear County Environmental Health Director,

I am writing to respectfully request that your office conduct a thorough, unannounced inspection of food service and sanitation practices at RUTLEDGE STATE PRISON, located in Muscogee 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

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. Verify permit status and confirm whether the facility is subject to the same inspection schedule as other institutional food service establishments in the county.
4. 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]