Georgia spent $1.48 billion on prisons in FY 2025. The DOJ had to sue to access 19,000 documents about how that money gets used. The Georgia Open Records Act gives citizens the right to examine prison financial records—budgets, contracts, spending patterns. Understanding where prison money goes reveals priorities: Georgia pays more every year for a system that keeps failing. Financial transparency is the first step toward accountability. 1
What You Can Request
The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. §50-18-70) provides access to:
- Institutional budgets—how facilities allocate funding
- Vendor contracts—agreements with private companies
- Trust account data—inmate financial transactions
- General spending records—where money actually goes
GDC must respond within three business days. Fees: $0.10 per page plus staff time for searching and redacting.
How to Submit Requests
Effective requests are specific and targeted:
- Use GDC’s online portal—or submit written requests by mail
- Specify facility names—and exact time periods
- Describe documents clearly—be precise about what you need
- Request digital delivery—reduces costs significantly
Vague requests cost more and take longer. Specific requests get faster results. 2
What Gets Blocked
Some records remain restricted:
- Security-sensitive information—facility vulnerabilities
- Employee personal details—home addresses, social security numbers
- Medical records—without HIPAA consent
- Active investigations—ongoing law enforcement matters
If denied, request a written explanation. Many denials can be appealed.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding financial transparency in Georgia prisons. The free tool crafts personalized messages to lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Proactive disclosure of prison spending
- Faster response times for records requests
- Lower fees for public interest requests
- Independent audits of corrections finances
Further Reading
- Georgia Prison Financial Records: Key Insights
- A Budgetary Black Hole: The True Cost of Neglecting Georgia’s Prisons
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
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