GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: Gang Separation as Violence Reduction Strategy: Georgia vs. Other States ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-11-14 19:26:23 EST Research Date: 2026-03-08 Topic: Gang Management / Violence Reduction JSON: https://gps.press/research-data/gang-separation-as-violence-reduction-strategy-georgia-vs-other-states/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- GDC's September 30, 2026 Board of Corrections materials report 15,020 validated Security Threat Group (gang) members statewide (30.61% of the population) on the Commissioner's dashboard slide, while the Board packet's October 2026 Agency Overview prints a conflicting 15,732 (32%) with no explanation of the difference. FY26 admissions included 3,253 validated STG members of 13,721 (23.71%), and Valdosta State Prison reported 678 validated STG members at 61.64% of its 1,100 housed — the only facility-level gang figure in the materials, since GDC treats per-prison gang counts as confidential. STATISTICS (62) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] GDC recorded at least 66 homicides in 2024 In 2024, the Georgia Department of Corrections recorded at least 66 homicides in its facilities. Value: 66.0 homicides Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: violence,death,gangs Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] 15,020 validated gang members (STG) statewide, 30.61% (Board dashboard slide, NO DATE PRINTED; presented Sept 30, 2026) GDC's Commissioner data update dashboard slide, presented at the September 30, 2026 Board of Corrections meeting, reports 15,020 validated Security Threat Group (gang) members, equal to 30.61% of the people GDC held. The slide carries no printed data date. Value: 15020.0 validated STG members (vs. 30.61 percent of held population) Tags: gangs,operations,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] AJC confirmed at least 100 homicides in GDC in 2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution confirmed at least 100 homicides in Georgia's prisons in 2024, significantly higher than GDC's acknowledged count of 66. Value: 100.0 homicides (vs. 66 GDC acknowledged count) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: violence,death,gangs,data_gap Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] Largest single group GDC lists statewide: Gangster Disciples 3,481 (FOLK); the five Blood sets combined total 3,683 On the Commissioner's dashboard slide (September 30, 2026 Board materials), Gangster Disciples are the largest validated STG with 3,481 members statewide. Value: 3481.0 validated STG members Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] GPS identified 330 total deaths in GDC custody in 2024 Georgia Prisoners' Speak identified 330 total deaths in GDC custody in 2024, making it the deadliest year in state history. Value: 330.0 deaths in custody Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: death,violence Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] Sex-Money-Murder 1,200 statewide: a Blood set by GDC's own label (second-largest single group) On the Commissioner's dashboard slide (September 30, 2026 Board materials), Sex-Money-Murder is the second-largest validated STG with 1,200 members statewide. Value: 1200.0 validated STG members Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Bloods combined: 3,683 validated members in the five Blood sets GDC lists statewide, more than Gangster Disciples (3,481) GDC's statewide table of its ten largest gang (STG) groups (Board of Corrections dashboard slide 3, no date printed, presented September 30, 2026) lists the Bloods as separate sets and prints a Nation label beside each group. The five groups GDC labels BLOOD are Sex-Money-Murder 1,200, 93 Gangster Blood 835, Bloods 794, Piru 432 and Neighborhood Rolling 20s 422: 3,683 combined, 24.52% of the 15,020 validated members. Gangster Disciples, labeled FOLK, is the largest single group at 3,481 (23.18%). GDC shows only its top ten groups (9,781 of 15,020 members), so the Blood total is a minimum. GPS did the addition; every count and label is GDC's. Source: GDC Board of Corrections materials, September 30, 2026 (ORR R033095-110726), https://gps.press/records/r033095-110726/ Value: 3683 validated STG members in Blood sets (GPS sum of GDC counts) (vs. 24.52 percent of all 15,020 validated STG members) Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] 56% decline in GDC correctional officers from 2014 to 2024 GDC employed 6,383 correctional officers in 2014. By 2024, that number had dropped to 2,776—a 56% decline—while the prison population remained essentially flat at around 49,000. Value: 56.0 percent decline Tags: staffing Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp; Kemp Finally Gets the Prison Problem - [reported] 93 Gangster Blood 835 statewide (a Blood set by GDC's own label) On the Commissioner's dashboard slide (September 30, 2026 Board materials), 93 Gangster Blood counts 835 validated STG members statewide. Value: 835.0 validated STG members Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] GDC employed 6,383 correctional officers in 2014 In 2014, GDC employed 6,383 correctional officers. Value: 6383.0 correctional officers Date: 2014-01-01 Tags: staffing Sources: Kemp Finally Gets the Prison Problem - [reported] Bloods 794 statewide (a Blood set by GDC's own label) On the Commissioner's dashboard slide (September 30, 2026 Board materials), Bloods count 794 validated STG members statewide. Value: 794.0 validated STG members Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] GDC employed 2,776 correctional officers in 2024 By 2024, GDC employed only 2,776 correctional officers, down from 6,383 in 2014. Value: 2776.0 correctional officers (vs. 6383 2014 count) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp - [disputed] 15,732 validated gang members (STG) statewide, 32% of all GDC offenders: GDC's latest dated count (October 2026 overview, data through August 2026) Board packet page 7, 'Agency Overview – October 2026' (data through August 2026), prints '15,732 validated Security Threat Group (STG) offenders, 32% of all GDC offenders.' This differs from the 15,020 / 30.61% on slide 3 of the same Board materials, and GDC did not explain the difference. The two figures are treated as conflicting rather than reconciled. Value: 15732.0 validated STG offenders (vs. 32 percent of all GDC offenders) Date: 2026-08-31 Tags: gangs,data_gap Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] 2024: 31% of GDC inmates are validated gang members GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver confirmed approximately 31% of the total inmate population—roughly 15,200 of the system's ~49,000 inmates—are validated Security Threat Group offenders with gang affiliation. Value: 31.0 percent of inmate population (vs. 13 national average) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,demographics Sources: Senate Study Committee Final Report on GDC, 2024 - [confirmed] GDC validated inmates across 315 different gangs GDC has validated inmates across 315 different gangs, a number far exceeding the 12 recognized STGs in Texas. Value: 315.0 gangs (vs. 12 Texas recognized STGs) Tags: gangs Sources: Security Threat Groups (Gangs) Unit - [reported] FY26 admissions: 3,253 validated gang members (STG), 23.71% of new admissions (not the prison population) Slide 6 (FY26 admissions review) reports that 3,253 of GDC's 13,721 admissions in fiscal year 2026 — 23.71% — were validated STG members. This is an admissions figure, not a prison population figure. Value: 3253.0 validated STG admissions (vs. 23.71 percent of FY26 admissions) Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs,operations Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] GDC validated 12,444 gang-affiliated inmates by 2017 As of 2017, GDC had validated 12,444 inmates across 315 different gangs. Value: 12444.0 validated gang inmates Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: gangs Sources: Security Threat Groups (Gangs) Unit - [reported] FY26 total admissions: 13,721 Slide 6 (FY26 admissions review) gives GDC's total admissions for fiscal year 2026 as 13,721, the denominator for the 3,253 validated STG admissions (23.71%). Value: 13721.0 admissions Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: operations,demographics Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] 2019: GDC validated gang population about 15,000 (Dec 2019 press release) By 2019, the number of validated gang-affiliated inmates in GDC had grown to approximately 15,000. Value: 15000.0 validated gang inmates (vs. 12444 2017 count) Date: 2019-01-01 Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Hosts Security Threat Group (STG) Training and Awards Ceremony - [reported] FY26 STG admissions by nation: Blood 948 Among FY26 validated STG admissions (slide 6), 948 were Blood. Value: 948.0 admissions Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] FY26 STG admissions by nation: Folk 626 Among FY26 validated STG admissions (slide 6), 626 were Folk. Value: 626.0 admissions Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] National gang affiliation rate in state prisons is approximately 13% The National Institute of Justice estimates that approximately 200,000 of the 1.5 million people incarcerated in U.S. state prisons are gang-affiliated, or about 13%. Georgia's 31% rate is more than double the national average. Value: 13.0 percent of state prison population nationally (vs. 31 Georgia rate) Date: 2018-01-01 Tags: gangs,demographics Sources: Using Restrictive Housing to Manage Gangs in U.S. Prisons - [reported] FY26 STG admissions by nation: Aryan 349 Among FY26 validated STG admissions (slide 6), 349 were Aryan. Value: 349.0 admissions Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Approximately 200,000 gang-affiliated people in U.S. state prisons The National Institute of Justice estimates that approximately 200,000 of the 1.5 million people incarcerated in U.S. state prisons are gang-affiliated. Value: 200000.0 gang-affiliated inmates nationally Date: 2018-01-01 Tags: gangs,demographics Sources: Using Restrictive Housing to Manage Gangs in U.S. Prisons - [reported] FY26 STG admissions by nation: Crip 298 Among FY26 validated STG admissions (slide 6), 298 were Crip. Value: 298.0 admissions Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] FY26 STG admissions by nation: Hybrid 216 Among FY26 validated STG admissions (slide 6), 216 were Hybrid. Value: 216.0 admissions Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Valdosta State Prison: 678 validated gang members (STG), 61.64% of the prison (Sept 18, 2026) In Warden Kendric Jackson's presentation (slide 23, data as of September 18, 2026), Valdosta State Prison reported 678 validated STG members, 61.64% of the 1,100 people in a bed there. This is the only facility-level gang figure in the Board materials. Value: 678.0 validated STG members (vs. 61.64 percent of 1,100 people in a bed) Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Valdosta State Prison population in a bed: 1,100 Warden Kendric Jackson's slide (data as of September 18, 2026) gives Valdosta State Prison's population as 1,100 people in a bed, the denominator for the 678 validated STG members (61.64%). Value: 1100.0 people in a bed Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: facilities,demographics Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Valdosta largest single group: Gangster Disciples 161; the Blood sets combined total 174 At Valdosta State Prison (data as of September 18, 2026), Gangster Disciples are the largest validated STG with 161 members. Value: 161.0 validated STG members Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Valdosta State Prison: Blood sets combined 174, more than Gangster Disciples (161) (Sept 18, 2026) Warden Kendric Jackson's slide 23 (as of 9/18/2026 5:02:39 AM) lists Valdosta's gang groups with GDC's Nation label. The five groups labeled BLOOD are Sex-Money-Murder 45, 93 Gangster Blood 44, Bloods 42, Piru 23 and Neighborhood Rolling 20s 20: 174 combined, 25.66% of the prison's 678 validated members, against Gangster Disciples (FOLK) 161. A sixth Blood set, G-Shyne, is cut off at the bottom of the table and not counted, so 174 is a minimum. GDC's own chart on the next slide (no date printed, 610 total) states "All Blood Sects - 234". Source: GDC Board of Corrections materials, September 30, 2026 (ORR R033095-110726), https://gps.press/records/r033095-110726/ Value: 174 validated STG members in Blood sets (GPS sum of GDC counts) (vs. 25.66 percent of 678 validated STG members at Valdosta) Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Valdosta: Security Threat Individual 53 At Valdosta State Prison (data as of September 18, 2026), Security Threat Individual counts 53 validated members. Value: 53.0 validated STG members Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] 7 homicides in GDC facilities in 2018 In 2018, there were 7 homicides in GDC facilities. Value: 7.0 homicides Date: 2018-01-01 Tags: violence,death Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] Valdosta: Sex-Money-Murder 45 At Valdosta State Prison (data as of September 18, 2026), Sex-Money-Murder counts 45 validated members. Value: 45.0 validated STG members Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] 94 people killed in GDC 2021-2023, a 95.8% increase over 2018-2020 Between 2021 and 2023, 94 people were killed in GDC facilities, representing a 95.8% increase over the 2018-2020 period of 48 deaths. Value: 94.0 homicides (vs. 48 2018-2020 period) Tags: violence,death,trend Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] Valdosta: 93 Gangster Blood 44 At Valdosta State Prison (data as of September 18, 2026), 93 Gangster Blood counts 44 validated members. Value: 44.0 validated STG members Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] 48 homicides in GDC during 2018-2020 During the 2018-2020 period, there were 48 homicides in GDC facilities. Value: 48.0 homicides Tags: violence,death Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] Valdosta: Bloods 42 At Valdosta State Prison (data as of September 18, 2026), Bloods count 42 validated members. Value: 42.0 validated STG members Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] Georgia in-prison homicide rate nearly eight times national average The DOJ estimated that Georgia's in-prison homicide rate was nearly eight times the national average. Value: 8.0 times the national average Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: violence,death Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [reported] Over 1,400 violent incidents in Georgia prisons Jan 2022-Apr 2023 Between January 2022 and April 2023, Georgia's close- and medium-security prisons recorded more than 1,400 violent incidents—and the DOJ emphasized that this was a severe undercount due to chronic underreporting. Value: 1400.0 violent incidents Tags: violence Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [reported] Commissioner Oliver told Senate Study Committee ~31% were validated STG (August 2024) In August 2024 GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver told the Senate Study Committee that about 31% of the inmate population were validated STG offenders. The September 30, 2026 Board materials are GDC's later figures (30.61% on slide 3; 32% in the October 2026 overview). Value: 31.0 percent of inmate population Date: 2024-08-01 Tags: gangs,legal Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [estimated] GPS estimates 800-1,200 non-fatal assault victims in GDC in 2024 required medical treatment GPS's own analysis estimates that 800 to 1,200 non-fatal assault victims in 2024 required some level of medical treatment, with emergency trauma costs ranging from $20,000 to $40,000 per patient and inpatient hospitalization adding $2,000 to $3,000 per day. Value: 1000.0 estimated assault victims requiring treatment Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: violence,medical,budget Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [reported] More than half of CO positions unfilled in 20 of 34 state prisons The Guidehouse consultants found that in 20 of 34 state prisons, more than half of correctional officer positions were unfilled. Value: 20.0 prisons with >50% CO vacancy (vs. 34 total state prisons) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,facilities Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp - [reported] Eight prisons had CO vacancy rates exceeding 70% In eight GDC prisons, the correctional officer vacancy rate exceeded 70%. The national standard for a functional prison is a vacancy rate of no more than 10%. Value: 8.0 prisons with >70% CO vacancy (vs. 10 national standard maximum vacancy rate (percent)) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,facilities Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp - [reported] Only 118 officers hired from 800 applicants over six months Over a recent six-month period, GDC was able to hire only 118 officers for every 800 applicants—a yield of about 15%. Value: 15.0 percent hiring yield Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp - [reported] 82.7% of newly hired GDC officers quit within first year Of those correctional officers hired by GDC, 82.7% quit within the first year between January 2021 and November 2024. Value: 82.7 percent first-year attrition Tags: staffing Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp - [reported] 42% of locks non-functional at Hays State Prison in 2012 audit A 2012 audit at Hays State Prison found approximately 42% of locks non-functional or easily defeated. The Guidehouse consultants found widespread failure of locks on cell doors persisting across the system. Value: 42.0 percent of locks non-functional Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions,operations Sources: Georgia's 'Hardened' Solution: Another Fortress Instead of Reform - [confirmed] Arizona STG program reduced assaults and other violations by over 50% among segregated gang members Arizona's Security Threat Group program, evaluated by researchers at Arizona State University (Fischer/Griffin, 2002), found that placing gang members in the SMU II produced dramatic results: rates of assault, drug violations, threats, fighting, and rioting all declined by over 50% following SMU II placement. Value: 50.0 percent reduction (minimum) Date: 2002-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence,policy Sources: Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report - [confirmed] Arizona STG program produced 30% system-wide reduction in total rule violations The Arizona STG program produced a system-wide deterrent effect with a 30% reduction in overall violations after the implementation of gang segregation policies. Value: 30.0 percent reduction in total violations Date: 2002-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence,policy Sources: Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report - [estimated] Arizona STG program may have prevented 22,000 rule violations system-wide Researchers estimated that Arizona's system-wide STG implementation may have prevented as many as 22,000 rule violations, including 5,700 violations among gang members specifically. Value: 22000.0 estimated prevented rule violations Date: 2002-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence,policy Sources: Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report - [confirmed] Arizona gang members committed violations at 2-3x rate of non-gang inmates Gang members in Arizona's prisons committed disciplinary violations at a rate two to three times that of non-gang inmates, confirming that targeted intervention is warranted. Value: 2.5 times higher violation rate (range 2-3x) Date: 2002-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence Sources: Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report - [confirmed] TDCJ formally recognizes 12 Security Threat Groups The Texas Department of Criminal Justice formally recognizes 12 Security Threat Groups and monitors numerous additional 'disruptive groups.' Value: 12.0 recognized STGs Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy Sources: Security Threat Groups on the Inside - [reported] Over 500 prisoners held in Pelican Bay SHU for over 10 years under old California regime At Pelican Bay State Prison alone, more than 500 prisoners had been held in the SHU for over 10 years, and 78 prisoners had been there for over 20 years, based solely on alleged gang affiliation rather than specific violent conduct. Value: 500.0 prisoners in SHU over 10 years Tags: gangs,solitary,legal Sources: Summary of Ashker v. Governor of California Settlement Terms - [reported] 78 prisoners at Pelican Bay SHU for over 20 years At Pelican Bay State Prison, 78 prisoners had been held in the SHU for over 20 years under California's pre-reform gang-based indefinite isolation policy. Value: 78.0 prisoners in SHU over 20 years Tags: gangs,solitary,legal Sources: Summary of Ashker v. Governor of California Settlement Terms - [reported] CDCR reviewed 1,274 SHU inmates by June 2015; 910 released to general population By June 2015, CDCR's Departmental Review Board had conducted 1,274 reviews of SHU inmates. Of those, 910 were released or endorsed for release to general population, and 321 were placed in the Step-Down Program. Value: 1274.0 SHU inmate reviews Date: 2015-06-01 Tags: gangs,solitary,policy Sources: After California Prisons Release 'Gang Affiliates' From Solitary Confinement, Costs and Violence Levels Drop - [reported] 30-36% of states segregate individuals solely based on gang affiliation A 2010 review of 42 state policies and a 2012 survey of 44 prison systems found that between 30% and 36% of states segregated individuals solely on the basis of gang affiliation. Value: 33.0 percent of states (range 30-36%) Tags: gangs,policy,solitary Sources: Using Restrictive Housing to Manage Gangs in U.S. Prisons - [confirmed] Gang affiliates 6-71 times more likely to be in restrictive housing Administrative data from California, Colorado, and Texas showed that gang affiliates were between 6 and 71 times more likely to be placed in restrictive housing than non-gang inmates. Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: gangs,solitary Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [reported] 12% of gang affiliates in restrictive housing vs 4% of non-gang inmates nationally Nationally, about 12% of gang affiliates in U.S. prisons are in restrictive housing on any given day, compared to just 4% of non-gang inmates—a relative risk over 3 times greater. Value: 12.0 percent of gang affiliates in restrictive housing (vs. 4 percent of non-gang inmates in restrictive housing) Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: gangs,solitary Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [reported] AG Carr's Gang Prosecution Unit secured 52 convictions, 140+ indictments Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia's first statewide Gang Prosecution Unit, which has secured 52 convictions and indicted more than 140 individuals across 13 counties. Value: 52.0 gang convictions Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: gangs,legal,investigations Sources: Carr Achieves Unprecedented Success in Fight Against Human Trafficking and Gang Activity - [confirmed] GDC prison population approximately 49,000 Georgia's prison population remained essentially flat at around 49,000 inmates while correctional officer staffing collapsed by 56%. Value: 49000.0 inmates (approximate) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: demographics Sources: Senate Study Committee Final Report on GDC, 2024 - [reported] 2023 was record homicide year at time with 35-38 deaths In 2023, GDC recorded 35-38 homicides, which was a record at that time before 2024 surpassed it. Value: 37.0 homicides (range 35-38) Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: violence,death Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [estimated] Emergency trauma costs $20,000-$40,000 per patient; hospitalization $2,000-$3,000 per day GPS estimates emergency trauma costs ranging from $20,000 to $40,000 per patient and inpatient hospitalization adding $2,000 to $3,000 per day for assault victims in Georgia's prisons. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: medical,budget,violence Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [estimated] Approximately 10-12 homicides in GDC in 2019 In 2019, there were approximately 10-12 homicides in GDC facilities. Value: 11.0 homicides (range 10-12) Date: 2019-01-01 Tags: violence,death Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll DATA GAPS (5) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Unexplained discrepancy between two GDC statewide STG counts The same September 30, 2026 Board materials contain two different statewide validated STG counts — 15,020 (30.61%) on slide 3 and 15,732 (32%) in the Board packet's October 2026 Agency Overview — and GDC did not explain the difference. The gap is 712 members and 1.39 percentage points. Date: 2026-09-30 Tags: gangs,data_gap Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] NIJ: No gang-exit programs rigorously shown to permanently remove people from gangs The NIJ noted that no programs to date have been rigorously shown to effectively remove people from prison gangs permanently, and called for programs to be held to leading scientific standards of evaluation. Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [confirmed] GDC has no structured gang renouncement or exit program Georgia has no structured gang renouncement or exit program, unlike Texas (GRAD/RP-GRAD programs), Arizona (STG program with renouncement option), and California (Step-Down Program). Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,reentry Sources: Security Threat Groups (Gangs) Unit; Georgia Department of Corrections Standard Operating Procedures - [confirmed] DOJ chronic underreporting of violent incidents in Georgia prisons The DOJ emphasized that the 1,400+ violent incidents recorded in Georgia's close- and medium-security prisons between January 2022 and April 2023 was a severe undercount due to chronic underreporting. Tags: violence,data_gap Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [estimated] Georgia does not publicly account for tens of millions in medical costs from prison violence If even half of the estimated 800-1,200 assault victims requiring treatment were hospitalized, Georgia taxpayers shouldered tens of millions in medical costs that the state does not publicly account for. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: medical,budget,violence,data_gap Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll FINDINGS (20) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Blood is GDC's largest gang nation among FY26 admissions: 948, about 1.5 times Folk (626) When GDC counts gang members among FY26 admissions by nation (Board of Corrections slide 6), Blood is the largest: Blood 948, Folk 626, Aryan 349, Crip 298, Hybrid 216, of 3,253 validated STG admissions. Here GDC itself groups the Blood sets together. These are admissions, not the prison population. Source: GDC Board of Corrections materials, September 30, 2026 (ORR R033095-110726), https://gps.press/records/r033095-110726/ Date: 2026-06-30 Tags: gangs,operations Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] DOJ found gangs control day-to-day prison life in Georgia The DOJ found that gangs control multiple aspects of day-to-day life in the prisons investigated, including access to phones, showers, food, and bed assignments. Gang members dictate where non-gang prisoners sleep, overriding the housing assignments made by classification officers. Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: gangs,conditions,operations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Gangs sell bed space and extort families for protection Gangs are selling bed space, forcing prisoners to sleep on floors or in common areas. They extort family members to pay for protection. They use violence to collect debts from cellphone and drug sales. They pressure female prisoners for sex recorded on contraband cellphones. Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: gangs,conditions,contraband,corruption Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [reported] FY26 STG admissions (23.71%) run below the statewide STG share (30.61%–32%) Validated STG members were 23.71% of FY26 admissions (3,253 of 13,721) but 30.61%–32% of the held population in the same Board materials — an apparent gap between the gang share of new admissions and of the standing population. The document does not explain the difference. Tags: gangs,trend,operations Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [reported] Valdosta STG share (61.64%) is roughly double the statewide share Valdosta State Prison's validated STG share of 61.64% (678 of 1,100 in a bed, September 18, 2026) is roughly double GDC's statewide reported share of 30.61%–32% in the same Board materials, indicating gang concentration far above the system average at that facility. Date: 2026-09-18 Tags: gangs,facilities Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] Single officer responsible for tracking 400 beds at one facility DOJ investigators described one facility where a single officer was responsible for tracking 400 beds. At that ratio, supervision is a fiction. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Texas gang separation led to dramatic drop in gang-related incidents 1990-1999 Data from the Texas prison system from 1990 to 1999 showed that after implementing wholesale placement of gang affiliates in restrictive housing, gang-related incidents dropped dramatically. Research by Ralph and Marquart (1991) demonstrated that segregating or transferring gang leaders alone was not sufficient, but wholesale separation of confirmed gang affiliates produced major reductions in both homicide and assault. Tags: gangs,violence,policy Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [reported] No evidence California policy changes led to increased gang activity California's Legislative Analyst's Office found no evidence that the Ashker settlement policy changes led to increased gang activity. Key violence metrics were actually heading in a positive direction. Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence,policy Sources: After California Prisons Release 'Gang Affiliates' From Solitary Confinement, Costs and Violence Levels Drop - [confirmed] Georgia has no systematic gang separation housing policy Despite identifying 31% of its incarcerated population as validated gang members, Georgia has no systematic gang separation housing policy, no structured gang renouncement or exit program, and no dedicated operational strategy for keeping rival factions apart. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Standard Operating Procedures - [confirmed] GDC STG Unit focuses on intelligence, not housing management The GDC STG Unit's self-described mission is to 'effectively validate STG related persons, gather intelligence on STG related criminal activities, and provide investigative support in all STG related occurrences.' This is an intelligence function, not a management function. There is no systematic protocol for housing gang members based on their affiliation. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,operations Sources: Security Threat Groups (Gangs) Unit - [confirmed] GDC gang incident response is reactive, not proactive GDC's response to gang incidents is reactive, not proactive. When conflicts arise, facilities go on lockdown. The DOJ documented this pattern: violence erupts, a lockdown is imposed, the lockdown eventually lifts, and the same gang-controlled dynamics reassert themselves because nothing about the housing arrangement has changed. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,operations,policy Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Kemp $600M proposal omits gang management reform Governor Kemp's $600 million emergency spending proposal addresses staffing and infrastructure but explicitly omits gang management reform. The AJC noted that the recommendations 'speak directly to some of the DOJ's concerns—particularly staffing and facility conditions—but not others, including sexual safety and the management of gang members.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy,gangs Sources: Governor seeks $600M to fix Ga. prisons, improve staffing and safety - [confirmed] Georgia relies on prosecution, not correctional management, for gang strategy Georgia's primary gang strategy at the state level is criminal prosecution, not correctional management. Texas uses prosecution as one element of a comprehensive strategy that also includes housing-based separation, intelligence-driven classification, and structured exit programs. Georgia relies on prosecution almost exclusively at the state level, with GDC's internal gang management limited to intelligence gathering and reactive lockdowns. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,legal Sources: Carr Convicts 16 in Barrow County, Shuts Down Prison Gang Operation; Carr Achieves Unprecedented Success in Fight Against Human Trafficking and Gang Activity - [reported] Ohio study: gang affiliates leaving restrictive housing fared worse afterward An Ohio study found that gang affiliates leaving restrictive housing fared worse afterward, engaging in higher levels of misconduct—suggesting that separation without programming and structured reintegration may simply delay rather than prevent violence. Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: gangs,solitary,policy Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [confirmed] Arizona renounced gang members showed non-significant violation decreases Among gang members who formally renounced their membership in Arizona, some disciplinary violations decreased, though the reductions were not statistically significant, suggesting that renouncement programs need to be paired with robust post-exit support and monitoring. Date: 2002-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy Sources: Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report - [confirmed] COs count prisoners as present in assigned locations when they're actually elsewhere Correctional officers, vastly outnumbered, play along with gang-controlled housing—counting prisoners as present in their assigned locations when they are actually sleeping wherever the gangs have placed them. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,staffing,operations,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Prisoners can leave cells at will due to infrastructure failures The Guidehouse consultants found that prisoners can leave their cells at will, enter other cells, access pipe chases and ventilation areas, reach rooftops, and move freely between housing areas due to widespread failure of locks, hollow-wall construction, wood doors, and drop ceilings. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions,operations Sources: Georgia's 'Hardened' Solution: Another Fortress Instead of Reform - [confirmed] California gang leaders directed operations from inside Pelican Bay SHU Gang leaders like members of Nuestra Familia demonstrated that they could order hits, run drug operations, and direct extortion rackets from inside the SHU at Pelican Bay through notes hidden in legal mail and messages carried by parolees. Tags: gangs,solitary,contraband Sources: Security Threat Group Prevention, Identification and Management - [confirmed] Segregating gang leaders alone was insufficient to reduce violence in Texas Research by Ralph and Marquart (1991) demonstrated that while segregating or transferring gang leaders alone was not sufficient to reduce violence, the wholesale separation of confirmed gang affiliates produced major reductions in both homicide and assault across the Texas prison system. Date: 1991-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence,policy Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [reported] CDCR continued using confidential informants problematically post-Ashker Compliance monitoring revealed that CDCR continued to use confidential informants to make gang 'validations' that were used to keep people in segregation and deny parole—in some cases relying on information that was inaccurate, exaggerated, or fabricated. Tags: gangs,legal,solitary,corruption Sources: Ninth Circuit Shuts Down Settlement Agreement in Long-Running California Prisoners' Gang Affiliation Suit TRENDS (3) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Validated gang population nearly doubled since 2014 The Guidehouse consultants hired by Governor Kemp reported that the number of validated gang members in GDC has nearly doubled since 2014. Tags: gangs,trend Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [reported] Statewide STG share roughly flat from 2024 (~31%) to 2026 (30.61%–32%) GDC's reported validated STG share of the population was about 31% when Commissioner Tyrone Oliver addressed the Senate Study Committee in August 2024, and 30.61% (slide 3) or 32% (Board packet) in the September 30, 2026 Board materials — a roughly flat reported share over two years, though the two 2026 figures conflict. Tags: gangs,trend Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] Escalating homicide trend in GDC tracks with gang expansion and staffing collapse The escalation in homicides tracks directly with the expansion of gang control and the collapse of staffing, from 7 homicides in 2018 to at least 100 confirmed by AJC in 2024. Tags: violence,death,gangs,staffing,trend Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024); The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll QUOTES (8) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] DOJ: Breakdowns in basic security opened path for gang control The DOJ described the situation as a systemic breakdown: 'breakdowns in basic security procedures' had opened 'a path for gang control over much of the prison system.' Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: gangs,operations,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] DOJ: Gang-related criminal activity exists across the GDC system The DOJ concluded that 'gang-related criminal activity exists across the [GDC] system, with some of the larger gangs operating sophisticated networks across several facilities and in the free world.' Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: gangs,contraband,operations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Guidehouse: Gangs effectively running some facilities The Guidehouse consultants independently confirmed that at some prisons, gangs are 'effectively running the facilities.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: gangs,operations Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [reported] Consultants described working in GDC as 'constant fear and fatigue' The Guidehouse consultants described working in a Georgia prison as a job characterized by 'constant fear and fatigue.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: staffing,conditions Sources: Georgia prisons are in crisis, say consultants hired by Gov. Kemp - [reported] Commissioner Oliver: Repairing all cell locks 'will take years' Commissioner Tyrone Oliver acknowledged that repairing all the locks on cells alone 'will take years.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Georgia's 'Hardened' Solution: Another Fortress Instead of Reform - [confirmed] NIJ: Step-down and gang-exit programs are a 'positive move' The NIJ concluded that 'the introduction of programs such as step-down (unambiguous, incentive-based steps toward general population housing) and gang-exit (treatment-based efforts to promote renouncement and disassociation) is a positive move toward jointly reducing the influence of gangs and overuse of restrictive housing.' Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,solitary Sources: Restrictive Housing in the U.S.: Issues, Challenges, and Future Directions - [confirmed] AJC: Kemp recommendations don't address gang member management The AJC explicitly noted: 'The Kemp recommendations announced Tuesday speak directly to some of the DOJ's concerns—particularly staffing and facility conditions—but not others, including sexual safety and the management of gang members.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: policy,gangs,budget Sources: Governor seeks $600M to fix Ga. prisons, improve staffing and safety - [reported] GPS: Kemp proposal is 'infrastructure without transformation' GPS's analysis of the spending proposal concluded that it represents 'infrastructure without transformation. Locks get replaced. Walls get thicker. Beds get "hardened." But culture and care—the human infrastructure that makes safety possible—are not being rebuilt with the same urgency.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: policy,budget Sources: Georgia's 'Hardened' Solution: Another Fortress Instead of Reform CASE DETAILS (5) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Four inmates died in January 2026 Washington State Prison gang disturbance In January 2026, four inmates died in a gang-related disturbance at Washington State Prison. GDC described it as a 'disturbance' involving 'multiple inmates believed to be gang-affiliated.' Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: violence,death,gangs,facilities Sources: UPDATE: GDC confirms fourth inmate death tied to Washington State Prison disturbance - [reported] Two deaths from gang altercation at Hancock State Prison January 2025 In January 2025, two deaths resulted from a gang altercation at Hancock State Prison. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: violence,death,gangs,facilities Sources: Gang-related violence results in two deaths at Georgia prison - [reported] Nine hospitalized from gang fight at Wilcox State Prison in 2025 Nine people were hospitalized from a gang fight at Wilcox State Prison in 2025. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: violence,gangs,facilities,medical Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll - [confirmed] 16 defendants convicted in Barrow County gang-prison operation Recent high-profile cases include the conviction of 16 defendants in Barrow County for a gang operation that was directing criminal activity both inside and outside prisons, including ordering hits, trafficking fentanyl, and recruiting. Date: 2025-12-01 Tags: gangs,legal,investigations,drugs,contraband Sources: Carr Convicts 16 in Barrow County, Shuts Down Prison Gang Operation - [reported] Women arrested for inciting a riot at Lee Arrendale State Prison in 2025 In 2025, women were arrested for inciting a riot at Lee Arrendale State Prison, part of the continuing pattern of violence in GDC facilities. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: violence,facilities Sources: The Hidden Violence in Georgia's Prisons: Beyond the Death Toll METHODOLOGY NOTES (3) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Methodology note: dashboard slide carries no printed data date The Commissioner's data update dashboard (slide 3) has no date printed on it; it was presented September 30, 2026. The Board packet's Agency Overview is dated October 2026 with data through August 2026. The differing reference periods and the absence of a slide date complicate comparison of the two statewide STG figures. Date: 2026-09-30 Tags: gangs,data_gap Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] Methodology note: FY26 gang admissions figures are admissions, not population The FY26 STG figures on slide 6 (3,253 of 13,721 admissions; Blood 948, Folk 626, Aryan 349, Crip 298, Hybrid 216) are admissions only and should not be read as the prison population. Tags: gangs,operations Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) - [confirmed] Methodology note: how GPS totals the Bloods (GDC's own Nation labels) GDC's group tables list each Blood set as its own row (Sex-Money-Murder, 93 Gangster Blood, Bloods, Piru, Neighborhood Rolling 20s, G-Shyne), which makes single groups such as Gangster Disciples rank first. GPS totals the sets by the Nation label GDC prints beside each group; GPS assigns no group to a nation itself. GDC publishes only its ten largest groups statewide, so every nation total from that table is a minimum. Totals by nation are in the record's file 'Gang members by nation, Bloods combined (GPS totals)'. Source: GDC Board of Corrections materials, September 30, 2026 (ORR R033095-110726), https://gps.press/records/r033095-110726/ Tags: gangs,methodology Sources: GDC Board of Corrections presentation and board packet, September 30, 2026 (records request R033095-110726) POLICYS (7) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Texas GRAD program is a nine-month, three-phase exit pathway TDCJ offers the GRAD (Gang Renouncement and Disassociation) program, a structured nine-month, three-phase exit pathway for inmates who wish to leave gang life. Phase I (~2 months): substance abuse and chaplaincy. Phase II (~4 months): cognitive intervention, anger management. Phase III (~3 months): half-day work combined with unit programs. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,reentry,program Sources: Rehabilitation and Reentry Division: RP GRAD Program - [confirmed] Texas automatic segregation for confirmed STG members In TDCJ, after a formal confirmation process, members of the recognized STGs are automatically placed in administrative segregation. This is a status-based decision—membership alone triggers separation, not just observed behavior. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,solitary Sources: Gang suppression and institutional control - [confirmed] GDC classification SOPs do not use gang affiliation as primary housing determinant GDC's classification SOPs (220.02, 220.03) address security classification and housing assignment based on offense severity, sentence length, and behavior—but not gang affiliation as a primary housing determinant. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,operations Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections Standard Operating Procedures - [confirmed] Kemp proposal includes $40M for new prison planning and 3,000-bed prison Governor Kemp's January 2025 budget proposal includes $40 million for planning and design of a new prison, a new 3,000-bed prison behind Washington State Prison, 446 additional private prison beds, four 126-bed modular correctional units, a five-person 'Tiger Team' for locks and security electronics, a 4% salary increase for correctional officers, and emergency facility repairs. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,facilities,policy Sources: Gov. Kemp Unveils Recommendations from System-wide Corrections System Assessment, Office of Governor Brian Kemp - [confirmed] Texas RP-GRAD program for returning gang-validated offenders For repeat offenders returning to TDCJ who would otherwise be automatically placed in restrictive housing due to prior gang validation, the six-month RP-GRAD (Returning Population) program allows immediate engagement in a renouncement process, incorporating cognitive-behavioral strategies for functional thinking, emotional management, and establishing pro-social support networks. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,reentry,program Sources: Rehabilitation and Reentry Division: RP GRAD Program - [confirmed] Texas gang membership consequences include parole impact TDCJ makes the costs of continued gang membership concrete: no contact visits, restricted phone access, no participation in academic or vocational activities, no work assignments, restricted movement, placement in restrictive housing, notification of state and local law enforcement upon release, and potential impact on parole consideration. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles must consider gang membership as a factor in parole decisions. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,policy,parole Sources: TDCJ Gang Membership - [confirmed] Arizona STG program formalized through policy revisions 1991-1997 The Arizona Department of Corrections instituted its Security Threat Group (STG) Program in stages beginning in 1991, formalizing it through a series of policy revisions in 1994, 1995, and 1997. Tags: gangs,policy Sources: Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report LEGAL FACTS (3) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Ashker settlement transformed California from status-based to behavior-based gang housing The 2015 Ashker v. Governor of California settlement fundamentally transformed California's approach from a status-based system to a behavior-based system. CDCR would no longer place inmates in the SHU based solely on gang affiliation; placement required a finding of guilt for a serious SHU-eligible rule violation. Indeterminate SHU sentences were eliminated. Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: gangs,solitary,legal,policy Sources: Summary of Ashker v. Governor of California Settlement Terms - [confirmed] DOJ already found Georgia in violation of Eighth Amendment The DOJ has already found Georgia in violation of the Eighth Amendment for failing to protect inmates from violence. The state is currently negotiating a potential settlement that could include federal oversight. Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: legal,violence Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Ashker settlement created 5-year maximum involuntary Pelican Bay SHU hold Under the 2015 Ashker settlement, no prisoner could be held involuntarily at Pelican Bay SHU for more than 5 years. A Step-Down Program was created: a two-year, four-step process for inmates whose SHU-eligible violations were gang-related. Date: 2015-01-01 Tags: gangs,solitary,legal,policy Sources: Summary of Ashker v. Governor of California Settlement Terms DATASETS (8) ---------------------------------------- # GDC statewide validated STG membership and largest groups (September 30, 2026 Board materials) Statewide validated Security Threat Group counts as reported on the Commissioner's dashboard slide (slide 3) at the September 30, 2026 Board of Corrections meeting. The slide carries no printed data date. Group Validated STG members -------------------------------------------------- All validated STG members 15020 Gangster Disciples 3481 Sex-Money-Murder 1200 93 Gangster Blood 835 Bloods 794 # GDC Homicides by Year (2018-2024) Homicide counts in Georgia Department of Corrections facilities from 2018 to 2024, showing the dramatic escalation of lethal violence. 2024 includes both GDC's acknowledged count and the AJC's confirmed count. Year Homicides (Low) Homicides (High) Source Note ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018 7 7 GDC reported 2019 10 12 Approximate 2023 35 38 Record at time 2024 66 100 GDC acknowledged 66; AJC confirmed 100+ # GDC FY26 validated STG admissions by nation Validated STG members among GDC's 13,721 fiscal year 2026 admissions (slide 6, FY26 admissions review), broken out by nation. Admissions only, not population. Nation Validated STG admissions ---------------------------------- Blood 948 Folk 626 Aryan 349 Crip 298 Hybrid 216 # GDC Correctional Officer Staffing Decline (2014-2024) Decline in correctional officer counts at the Georgia Department of Corrections over the past decade Year Correctional Officers ----------------------------- 2014 6383 2024 2776 # Valdosta State Prison validated STG membership by group (September 18, 2026) Validated STG counts at Valdosta State Prison from Warden Kendric Jackson's presentation (slide 23), data as of September 18, 2026: 678 validated STG members, 61.64% of the 1,100 people in a bed. Group Validated STG members --------------------------------------------------- All validated STG members 678 Gangster Disciples 161 Security Threat Individual 53 Sex-Money-Murder 45 93 Gangster Blood 44 Bloods 42 # GDC Validated Gang Member Population Growth Growth in the number of validated gang-affiliated inmates in GDC over time Year Validated Gang Members Number of Gangs ----------------------------------------------- 2017 12444 315 2019 15000 2024 15200 315 # GDC statewide validated STG share over time (2024 vs. 2026) GDC-reported validated STG share of the inmate population: Commissioner Tyrone Oliver's August 2024 statement to the Senate Study Committee versus the two conflicting figures in the September 30, 2026 Board materials. Date Validated STG share Source within document ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2024-08 31 Commissioner Oliver testimony to Senate Study Committee 2026-09-30 30.61 Slide 3, Commissioner's dashboard 2026-08 32 Board packet p.7, Agency Overview – October 2026 # GDC Three-Year Homicide Comparison Periods Comparison of homicide totals across three-year periods showing 95.8% increase Period Homicides Change -------------------------------------- 2018-2020 48 Baseline 2021-2023 94 95.8% increase KEY ENTITIES (38) ---------------------------------------- - 93 Gangster Blood [organization]: Validated STG with 835 members statewide and 44 at Valdosta State Prison. - Arizona Department of Corrections [organization]: Arizona state correctional agency that implemented an STG program beginning in 1991, producing the most rigorously evaluated gang separation case study (aka: ADCR, ADC) - Ashker v. Governor of California [case]: Landmark 2015 class action settlement that fundamentally transformed California's prison gang management from a status-based to behavior-based system, eliminating indefinite SHU placement based solely on gang affiliation (aka: Ashker settlement) - Bloods [organization]: A gang involved in violence at Ware State Prison. - Board of Corrections [organization]: Governing board overseeing the Georgia Department of Corrections, chaired by Larry Haynie. - Brian Kemp [person]: Governor of Georgia who proposed $600 million in emergency spending over 18 months for prison reform in January 2025. (aka: Governor Kemp) - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation [organization]: California state agency responsible for operating the state prison system; defendant in Brown v. Plata litigation (aka: CDCR, California prisons) - Center for Constitutional Rights [organization]: Co-plaintiff with Martha Wright in the original 2000 lawsuit against Corrections Corporation of America over prison phone rates. (aka: CCR) - Chris Carr [person]: Georgia Attorney General. National leader on cell phone jamming advocacy in prisons, heading coalitions of 23-31 state attorneys general pushing for federal authorization. - Crips [organization]: Gang attacked by Bloods during the September 2022 gang war. - Danny Troxell [person]: California prisoner who co-filed the class action Ashker v. Governor of California - David C. Pyrooz [person]: Researcher and author of multiple NIJ publications on gang affiliation and restrictive housing in U.S. prisons - Folk Nation [organization]: STG nation with 626 validated FY26 admissions. (aka: Folk) - Gangster Disciples [organization]: Gang identified in DOJ findings as responsible for an assault on an incarcerated person at Baldwin State Prison. - Georgia Department of Corrections [organization]: State agency responsible for operating Georgia's prison system. Subject of federal DOJ investigation in 2022-2023 for constitutional violations including food-related deaths. (aka: GDC) - Georgia Gang Prosecution Unit [organization]: Georgia's first statewide Gang Prosecution Unit, created by Attorney General Chris Carr, with 52 convictions and 140+ indictments across 13 counties (aka: Gang Prosecution Unit) - Georgia Prisoners' Speak [organization]: Advocacy organization documenting conditions inside Georgia prisons through photos and insider accounts, including food inadequacy. (aka: GPS) - Georgia Senate Study Committee on the Department of Corrections [organization]: Georgia State Senate committee that published a 2024 final report on conditions in the Department of Corrections (aka: Senate Supporting Safety and Security Study Committee, Senate Study Committee) - GRAD Program [program]: TDCJ's structured nine-month, three-phase exit pathway for inmates who wish to leave gang life (aka: Gang Renouncement and Disassociation Program) - Guidehouse [organization]: Consulting firm that conducted the Kemp Assessment of Georgia's prison system, publishing recommendations in January 2025. - Hancock State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison where THC gummies, white powdery substances, and marijuana were recovered in January 2024. - Hays State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison visited by DOJ during 2022-2023 investigation (aka: Hays) - Kendric Jackson [person]: Warden of Valdosta State Prison, addressee of SCHR's letter. - Kristen Clarke [person]: Assistant Attorney General who outlined remedial measures for Georgia prisons including adding staffing, fixing classification and housing, and correcting reporting deficiencies. - Lee Arrendale State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison where drug-coated paper was found being passed in November 2025. - Marie L. Griffin [person]: Arizona State University researcher who conducted the comprehensive NIJ-funded evaluation of Arizona's STG program (2002) - National Institute of Justice [organization]: DOJ research agency that commissioned studies on deaths in custody to meet DCRA 2013 requirements. (aka: NIJ) - Nuestra Familia [organization]: Prison gang whose members demonstrated the ability to direct criminal operations from inside Pelican Bay SHU - Pelican Bay State Prison [facility]: California state prison whose Security Housing Unit held gang-validated inmates for indeterminate terms, some exceeding 20 years, prior to the Ashker settlement (aka: Pelican Bay) - RP-GRAD Program [program]: TDCJ's six-month program for repeat offenders returning to prison who would otherwise be automatically placed in restrictive housing due to prior gang validation (aka: Returning Population GRAD) - Security Threat Group Management Office [organization]: TDCJ's dedicated central office in Huntsville that coordinates gang validation, intelligence, and classification decisions across the Texas prison system (aka: STGMO) - Senate Study Committee [organization]: Georgia Senate committee that studied corrections staffing issues and reported findings in December 2024. - Sex-Money-Murder [organization]: Validated STG with 1,200 members statewide and 45 at Valdosta State Prison. - Texas Department of Criminal Justice [organization]: Texas corrections agency; former executive director testified as expert witness that overcrowding is 'primary cause' of violations (aka: TDCJ) - Todd Ashker [person]: California prisoner who filed the class action Ashker v. Governor of California challenging indefinite SHU placement - Tyrone Oliver [person]: Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections who in March 2024 stopped including preliminary cause of death in monthly mortality reports. (aka: Commissioner Oliver, GDC Commissioner) - U.S. Department of Justice [organization]: Federal agency that published October 2024 findings report on unconstitutional conditions in Georgia prisons. (aka: DOJ) - Wilcox State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison visited by DOJ during 2022-2023 investigation (aka: Wilcox) SOURCES (45) ---------------------------------------- - 'Deliberate indifference' to violence in Georgia prisons, Georgia Public Broadcasting (2024-10-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.gpb.org/news/2024/10/01/the-federal-department-of-justice-deliberate-indifference-violence-in-georgia - 13WMAZ: "'Shock and horror' — DOJ finds Georgia prison conditions 'out of control' and 'unconstitutional'", 13WMAZ (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/state/georgia-prison-conditions-unconstitutional-unsafe-out-of-control-departmentjustice-investigation/93-2024d8db-f486-4eaa-88d4-46480f162b52 - After California Prisons Release 'Gang Affiliates' From Solitary Confinement, Costs and Violence Levels Drop, Solitary Watch (2016-02-29) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://solitarywatch.org/2016/02/29/after-california-releases-gang-affiliates-from-solitary-confinement-costs-and-violence-levels-drop/ - Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, National Institute of Justice (2002-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/arizona-department-corrections-security-threat-group-stg-program-evaluation - Arizona Department of Corrections: Security Threat Group (STG) Program Evaluation, Final Report, Arizona State University / National Institute of Justice by Marie L. Griffin, Ph.D. (2002-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/197045.pdf - Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Delivers Remarks Announcing Findings, U.S. Department of Justice by Kristen Clarke (2024-10-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/speech/assistant-attorney-general-kristen-clarke-delivers-remarks-announcing-findings - Carr Achieves Unprecedented Success in Fight Against Human Trafficking and Gang Activity, Georgia Attorney General's Office (2025-01-08) [press_release, primary] URL: https://law.georgia.gov/press-releases/2025-01-08/carr-achieves-unprecedented-success-fight-against-human-trafficking-and - Carr Convicts 16 in Barrow County, Shuts Down Prison Gang Operation, Georgia Attorney General's Office (2025-12-05) [press_release, primary] URL: https://law.georgia.gov/press-releases/2025-12-03/carr-convicts-16-barrow-county-shuts-down-prison-gang-operation - Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising, Corrections1/Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2025-01-24) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.corrections1.com/investigations/consultants-ga-prisons-in-emergency-mode-with-gang-influence-rising - DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024), U.S. Department of Justice (2024-10-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/findings_report_-_investigation_of_georgia_prisons.pdf - First Available House: Desegregation in American Prisons and the Road to Johnson v. California, Office of Justice Programs by James W. Marquart, Chad R. Trulson [academic, primary] URL: https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/first-available-house-desegregation-american-prisons-and-road - Ga. governor hires consultants to examine troubled state prison system, Corrections1/Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2024-06-18) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.corrections1.com/investigations/ga-governor-hires-consultants-to-examine-troubled-state-prison-system - Gang Affiliation and Restrictive Housing in U.S. Prisons, National Institute of Justice by David C. 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