GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: Sexual Violence & PREA Compliance in Georgia Prisons ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-04-16 23:57:02 EDT Research Date: 2026-04-12 Topic: Violence & Safety JSON: https://gps.press/research-data/sexual-violence-prea-compliance-in-georgia-prisons/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- This document reveals a systemic crisis of sexual violence in Georgia prisons, exposing a stark paradox: every GDC facility has passed PREA audits with 'full compliance' while the U.S. Department of Justice found sexual assault to be 'rampant' and that zero out of 388 reviewed PREA investigation files met standards. Structural enablers include a 52.5% correctional officer vacancy rate, facilities at nearly double design capacity, broken reporting mechanisms, and the absence of independent oversight. The document synthesizes DOJ findings, BJS prevalence data, Section 1983 litigation (particularly the Ashley Diamond cases), PLRA barriers, and comparative state oversight models to argue that Georgia's compliance apparatus is designed to obscure rather than address sexual violence. FINDINGS (21) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Every GDC facility received full PREA audit compliance Across all available audit reports spanning Cycles 1 through 4 (since August 2015), every GDC facility received a final determination of 'full compliance' or 'meets standard' across all applicable standards. No facility has ever failed a PREA audit. Tags: legal,policy,conditions Sources: PREA Audit Reports, Georgia Department of Corrections - [confirmed] DOJ found sexual assault 'rampant' in Georgia prisons In October 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that GDC engages in a 'pattern or practice' of violating incarcerated persons' constitutional rights, specifically finding that sexual assault is 'rampant' and that GDC 'does not reasonably protect incarcerated individuals, including LGBTI individuals, from sexual harm.' Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: violence,legal,investigations,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Southeastern states high-rate facility comparison Among southeastern states, Georgia and Alabama each had one facility on the high-rate list, while Florida had three — the most of any state. Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee had none. This comparison reflects only the 177 facilities sampled in the NIS. Tags: violence,facilities Sources: Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025 - [estimated] Georgia per-capita PREA reporting rate below national average Georgia's per-capita reporting rate falls below the national average, but the DOJ's investigation found massive underreporting, meaning this apparent below-average rate almost certainly reflects suppressed reporting. Tags: violence,investigations Sources: Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2019-2020, BJS - [confirmed] Housing units regularly left unsupervised for hours Housing units are 'regularly left unsupervised for hours at a time' according to the DOJ investigation. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Walker State Prison as natural experiment in staffing and safety Walker State Prison, a smaller facility with a higher proportion of security staff positions filled, had 'fewer incarcerated people reporting they feared for their lives' and 'no reported homicides in the past several years' — demonstrating the direct causal relationship between staffing adequacy and safety. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,violence,facilities Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Wolff et al. found sexual victimization rates of 3.0%-6.4% across facilities Wolff et al. (2006) found sexual victimization rates varying from 3.0% to 6.4% across facilities within a single system, with violence levels associated with overcrowding, management style, and staffing. Date: 2006-01-01 Tags: violence,staffing,conditions Sources: Sexual Violence Inside Prisons: Rates of Victimization, Wolff et al., Journal of Urban Health, 2006 - [confirmed] Broken cell door locks widespread; replacement could take five years Broken cell door locks — widespread across the system — mean prisoners can manipulate locks and move freely; replacing them could take five years. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [confirmed] GDCP cameras damaged, electrical systems removed, rounds by flashlight At Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison, cameras have been damaged and blocked, and electrical systems removed so officers must conduct rounds by flashlight. Prisoners access pipe chases, ventilation shafts, and restricted areas including rooftops. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Triple-bunking: 9 sq ft per person vs. ACA minimum of 35 sq ft GDC has resorted to triple-bunking — placing three men in cells designed for one, giving each roughly 9 square feet of personal space, far below ACA-recommended minimums of 35 square feet. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: conditions,facilities Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] GDC does not adequately screen, classify, or track LGBTI individuals The DOJ found GDC 'does not adequately screen, classify, or track LGBTI individuals.' Despite PREA Standard 115.42 explicitly prohibiting housing decisions based exclusively on external genital anatomy, the DOJ found that 'there are no known reports of GDC relying on any other factors' when making housing decisions for transgender persons. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: policy,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] GDC has never housed anyone based on transgender identity GDC has never housed anyone in men's or women's facilities based on transgender identity. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: policy,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] PREA hotline is voicemail only, checked Monday-Friday business hours The confidential reporting line is a voicemail system, not a live-answered crisis line — messages are checked only Monday through Friday during business hours. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: policy,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Many prisoners cannot access PREA hotline due to broken phones The DOJ found that many prisoners cannot access the hotline because wall phones in their housing units are broken. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: conditions,policy Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] GDC PREA brochure contains language that deters victims from reporting The GDC PREA brochure warns that 'any person who files an allegation of sexual abuse knowing it to be false will be subject to serious disciplinary action' and 'the Department of Corrections will actively pursue criminal prosecution' — language that deters victims who fear not being believed. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: policy,conditions Sources: GDC PREA Brochure, Georgia Department of Corrections - [confirmed] Gangs control housing units directing where people sleep and extorting them Gangs control housing units in most GDC prisons, directing where people sleep and extorting them; victims may be unable to report because perpetrators control their living environment. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,violence,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Staff hesitant to write reports for fear of gang retaliation Staff themselves are 'hesitant to hold offenders immediately accountable or write reports for fear of retaliation' from gangs. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: gangs,staffing,corruption Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Georgia has no independent correctional oversight body Georgia has no independent correctional ombudsman, inspector general, oversight commission, or authorized nonprofit with access to its prisons. All PREA monitoring is conducted internally by GDC's Office of Professional Standards, which reports to the GDC Commissioner. The internal Ombudsman Unit is not independent — it is part of OPS within GDC. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: policy,investigations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Trump DOJ moving to dismiss consent decrees and halt reform investigations The Trump administration's DOJ has moved to dismiss consent decrees and halt reform investigations across the country, with the Civil Rights Division closing multiple investigations and retracting findings reports. Whether the Georgia prison investigation will proceed to enforceable reform remains deeply uncertain. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,investigations,policy Sources: Federal Tracker, Prison Policy Initiative - [reported] GDC indicated DOJ sent settlement proposal under review As of early 2025, GDC indicated the DOJ had sent a settlement proposal under review. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,investigations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] GDC dormitory-style housing linked to higher sexual violence risk Georgia extensively uses dormitory-style housing, which research consistently links to higher sexual violence risk. Tags: facilities,violence,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) CASE DETAILS (14) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] DOJ visited 17 GDC prisons during investigation Between 2022 and 2023, a federal investigation team that included certified PREA auditors with specialized expertise in sexual safety visited 17 GDC prisons — approximately half of all state prisons — and found pervasive constitutional violations. Tags: investigations,facilities Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] DOJ case: gay man's sexual assault deemed unsubstantiated despite evidence In one case documented by the DOJ, a gay man reported that his cellmate sexually assaulted him after gang members ordered the cellmate to drive him out; GDC deemed the matter 'unsubstantiated' despite both men confirming sexual contact occurred and evidence the victim was tied up. Tags: violence,investigations,gangs Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Chemical examination confirming seminal fluid misreported as negative In one DOJ-documented case, a chemical examination confirming seminal fluid was incorrectly reported as negative in the investigative file. Tags: investigations,violence Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] LGBTI person stabbed to death in Hancock State Prison dormitory An LGBTI-identifying person who had 'repeatedly asked to be moved because their life was in danger' the day before was beaten and stabbed to death by multiple gang members inside a dormitory at Hancock State Prison in May 2022. Date: 2022-05-01 Tags: violence,death,gangs,facilities Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Diamond v. Ward: $250,000 settlement and GDC reversed freeze frame policy In February 2015, Ashley Diamond filed Diamond v. Ward (Case No. 5:15-cv-00050-MTT) alleging Eighth Amendment failure to protect from sexual assault, Fourteenth Amendment equal protection violations, and denial of hormone therapy. Diamond won a $250,000 settlement in 2016 and GDC reversed its 'freeze frame' policy on hormone therapy. Tags: legal,violence,medical Sources: Transgender Georgia Prisoner Files Second Lawsuit, Prison Legal News - [confirmed] Diamond v. Ward triggered DOJ 2016 investigation The Diamond v. Ward case triggered the DOJ's 2016 investigation into Georgia prisons' treatment of LGBTI persons. The DOJ investigation originated in 2016 specifically to examine whether GDC adequately protects LGBTI persons from sexual abuse. Date: 2016-01-01 Tags: legal,investigations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [reported] Ashley Diamond sexually assaulted more than 14 times in one year after return After returning to prison on a technical parole violation in 2019, Ashley Diamond was sexually assaulted more than 14 times in one year. Tags: violence Sources: Transgender Georgia Prisoner Files Second Lawsuit, Prison Legal News - [reported] Diamond second lawsuit: officer locked her in office for sexual harassment Ashley Diamond's second lawsuit (Case No. 5:20-cv-00453-MTT, filed November 2020) alleged that an officer locked her in an office two days in a row for hours of sexual harassment, another officer announced her transgender status to an entire dormitory calling her 'a freak,' and GDC falsely designated her as a 'sexual aggressor' to justify refusing transfer to a women's facility. Date: 2020-11-01 Tags: violence,legal,corruption Sources: Transgender Georgia Prisoner Files Second Lawsuit, Prison Legal News - [confirmed] Lee Arrendale: officer Cameron Cheeks raped woman requiring partial uterus removal At Lee Arrendale State Prison, former officer Cameron Cheeks 'violently and forcibly raped' an incarcerated woman in the showers on December 5, 2022; the assault was 'so brutal that Doe needed surgery for partial uterus removal.' Cheeks pleaded guilty to four charges and was sentenced to six years. Prosecutors established he assaulted three different women between October and December 2022. Date: 2022-12-05 Tags: violence,corruption,facilities Sources: Nearly 200 Georgia Prison Employees Arrested, Equal Justice Initiative - [confirmed] Edgar Daniel Johnson pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges At Emanuel Women's Facility, former guard Edgar Daniel Johnson pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges for sexually assaulting three female inmates between November 2012 and September 2013 and coercing them to cover up the assaults. Tags: violence,corruption,legal Sources: Nearly 200 Georgia Prison Employees Arrested, Equal Justice Initiative - [reported] Ashley Diamond designated as 'sexual aggressor' after filing lawsuit Ashley Diamond was designated a 'sexual aggressor' and subjected to an 'avalanche of alleged rules violations' after filing her lawsuit. Date: 2020-01-01 Tags: violence,legal Sources: Transgender Georgia Prisoner Files Second Lawsuit, Prison Legal News - [reported] GDC blocked state lawmakers from entering Lee Arrendale in 2021 GDC blocked state lawmakers from entering Lee Arrendale State Prison in 2021. Date: 2021-01-01 Tags: policy,facilities Sources: Georgia prison system engages in deception as crisis builds, Atlanta Journal-Constitution - [confirmed] Pulaski State Prison: two inmates sodomized at knifepoint by gang members At Pulaski State Prison, the AJC documented at least three sexual assaults in 2022-2023: two inmates sodomized at knifepoint by gang members demanding 'protection' money; another beaten while having bodily fluid smeared on her face and mouth. Tags: violence,gangs,facilities Sources: Women sexually assaulted, beaten at Georgia prison, Atlanta Journal-Constitution - [confirmed] Smith State Prison: prisoner waterboarded and sexually assaulted with soap bars At Smith State Prison in 2020, a prisoner was tied up, beaten, waterboarded, had his teeth broken, and was sexually assaulted with bars of soap by his cellmate. Date: 2020-01-01 Tags: violence,facilities Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) STATISTICS (26) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] 456 sexual abuse allegations in GDC in 2022 with 7.7% substantiation rate The DOJ findings report documented 456 allegations of sexual abuse in 2022 alone, with only 35 substantiated — a 7.7% substantiation rate. Value: 456.0 allegations (vs. 35 substantiated cases) Date: 2022-01-01 Tags: violence,investigations,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] 40 states submitted PREA assurances vs. 10 certifications in FY 2017 Georgia was among 40 states submitting assurances rather than certifications; only 10 states certified full compliance that year (FY 2017). Value: 40.0 states submitting assurances (vs. 10 states certifying full compliance) Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: FY 2017 List of Certification and Assurance Submissions, Bureau of Justice Assistance - [reported] GDC 2020 PREA data: 1,421 allegations, 39 substantiated (2.7%) In 2020, GDC recorded 1,421 PREA allegations with only 39 substantiated — a 2.7% substantiation rate. Of those 39, 19 involved inmate-on-inmate abuse and 15 involved staff-on-inmate abuse. Value: 1421.0 allegations (vs. 39 substantiated cases) Date: 2020-01-01 Tags: violence,investigations Sources: 2020 PREA Annual Report, Georgia Department of Corrections - [disputed] GDC claims 2024 saw only 31 substantiated PREA cases GDC claims that 2024 saw only 31 substantiated cases, the lowest since 2015. But given the DOJ's finding that investigations are 'defective at every level,' declining substantiation rates likely reflect investigation failures rather than declining prevalence. Value: 31.0 substantiated cases Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: violence,investigations Sources: 2020 PREA Annual Report, Georgia Department of Corrections - [confirmed] One Georgia prison identified as high-rate for sexual victimization in NIS 2023-24 The most recent NIS data — published in December 2025 covering 2023-2024 — identified 17 prisons nationally as 'high-rate' for overall sexual victimization. One of those 17 facilities was in Georgia. A facility earns the 'high-rate' designation when its lower-bound 95% confidence interval exceeds 1.55 times the national average. Value: 1.0 Georgia facility on high-rate list (vs. 17 total high-rate facilities nationally) Tags: violence,facilities Sources: Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025 - [confirmed] National average sexual victimization rate: 4.1% The national average was 4.1% overall sexual victimization (2.3% inmate-on-inmate, 2.2% staff-on-inmate) according to the NIS 2023-24. Value: 4.1 percent Tags: violence Sources: Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025 - [confirmed] Georgia SSV data: 635-702 annual sexual abuse allegations (2019-2022) Georgia's SSV data shows 635 to 702 annual sexual abuse allegations between 2019 and 2022. Georgia's allegations represent roughly 1.7-1.9% of the approximately 36,264 national allegations reported in 2020, while Georgia holds approximately 3-4% of the national prison population. Tags: violence Sources: Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2019-2020, BJS - [confirmed] Paulding Regional YDC: highest staff sexual victimization rate nationally In the 2012 BJS National Survey of Youth in Custody, Paulding Regional Youth Detention Center in Dallas, Georgia, had the highest rate of sexual victimization by staff in the nation — approximately one in three youth (33%) reported staff sexual victimization. The facility was closed in late 2013. Value: 33.0 percent of youth reporting staff sexual victimization Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: violence,facilities Sources: Georgia Closing Juvenile Prison With Nation's Highest Rate of Sexual Victimization, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange - [confirmed] GDC correctional officer vacancy rate: 52.5% Of 5,991 budgeted correctional officer positions, 2,985 were vacant as of January 2024 — a 52.5% vacancy rate. Value: 52.5 percent vacancy rate Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] 18 prisons exceeded 60% CO vacancy in December 2023 Eighteen prisons had CO vacancy rates exceeding 60% in December 2023; ten exceeded 70%. Value: 18.0 prisons exceeding 60% vacancy (vs. 10 prisons exceeding 70% vacancy) Date: 2023-12-01 Tags: staffing,facilities Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Valdosta State Prison reached 80% CO vacancy rate Valdosta State Prison reached an 80% vacancy rate by April 2024. Value: 80.0 percent vacancy rate Date: 2024-04-01 Tags: staffing,facilities Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [confirmed] Guidehouse assessment: emergency staffing levels at 20 of 34 prisons A December 2024 assessment by Guidehouse consultants hired by Governor Kemp found staffing vacancies had reached 'emergency levels' at 20 of Georgia's 34 prisons. Value: 20.0 prisons at emergency staffing levels (vs. 34 total Georgia prisons) Date: 2024-12-01 Tags: staffing,facilities Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [confirmed] 82.7% of new COs left within first year Between January 2021 and November 2024, 82.7% of new correctional officers left within their first year of employment. Value: 82.7 percent first-year turnover Tags: staffing Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [estimated] Informal inmate-to-CO ratios of 100:1 or 200:1 The federal baseline inmate-to-CO ratio is 15:1; in Georgia's most understaffed prisons, informal surveys estimate ratios of 100:1 or even 200:1. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Georgia prisons average over 30 years old; 29 of 34 need critical upgrades Georgia's prisons average over 30 years old, with 29 of 34 requiring critical upgrades. Value: 29.0 prisons requiring critical upgrades (vs. 34 total prisons) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [confirmed] GDCP at 182.5% of design capacity Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison operates at 182.5% of design capacity — 4,540 men in space built for 2,487. Value: 182.5 percent of design capacity Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Dooly State Prison exceeds 200% capacity Dooly State Prison exceeds 200% capacity. Value: 200.0 percent of design capacity (exceeds) Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Georgia incarceration rate: 881 per 100,000 Georgia's overall incarceration rate of 881 per 100,000 residents exceeds that of any independent democratic country. Value: 881.0 per 100,000 residents Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: demographics Sources: Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile - [reported] 2,171 people waiting in county jails for state prison transfer An additional 2,171 people wait in county jails for transfer to state prisons. Value: 2171.0 people Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: facilities,conditions Sources: Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile - [confirmed] Transgender inmate sexual assault prevalence: 41% vs. 2% general population Research by Jenness et al. (2007) found sexual assault prevalence rates for transgender inmates at 41%, compared to 2% for a random sample in the same California prisons. Value: 41.0 percent prevalence for transgender inmates (vs. 2 percent prevalence for general population) Date: 2007-01-01 Tags: violence Sources: Health Implications of Housing Assignments for Incarcerated Transgender Women, PMC, 2020 - [confirmed] 12.2% of LGBO prisoners reported sexual victimization vs. 1.2% heterosexual BJS NIS data from 2011-12 showed 12.2% of LGBO-identifying prisoners reported sexual victimization by another inmate versus 1.2% for heterosexual persons. Value: 12.2 percent LGBO inmate-on-inmate victimization (vs. 1.2 percent heterosexual inmate-on-inmate victimization) Tags: violence Sources: Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025 - [confirmed] At least four Lee Arrendale staff arrested for sexual assault since 2020 At Lee Arrendale State Prison, Georgia's largest women's facility, at least four staff members were arrested for sexual assault since 2020. Value: 4.0 staff arrested for sexual assault (at least) Tags: violence,corruption,facilities Sources: Nearly 200 Georgia Prison Employees Arrested, Equal Justice Initiative - [confirmed] 9 GDC employees arrested for sexual assault out of 195 total arrests Between January 2020 and June 2022, nine GDC employees were arrested for sexual assault out of 195 total arrested for job-related crimes. Value: 9.0 employees arrested for sexual assault (vs. 195 total employees arrested for job-related crimes) Tags: violence,corruption Sources: Nearly 200 Georgia Prison Employees Arrested, Equal Justice Initiative - [confirmed] Zero out of 388 PREA investigation files met standards In May 2022, GDC's own consultants — PREA Auditors of America — reviewed 388 PREA investigation files and found that not a single one met the law's standards. Deficiencies included witnesses not interviewed, outcomes based on investigator opinion rather than evidence, and forensic results misreported. Value: 0.0 files meeting PREA standards out of 388 (vs. 388 total files reviewed) Date: 2022-05-01 Tags: investigations,violence Sources: Georgia prison system engages in deception as crisis builds, Atlanta Journal-Constitution - [reported] Only 7% of 819 PREA allegations substantiated in 2023 In 2023, only 7% of 819 PREA allegations were substantiated. Value: 7.0 percent substantiation rate (vs. 819 total allegations) Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: violence,investigations Sources: Georgia prison system engages in deception as crisis builds, Atlanta Journal-Constitution - [reported] 74-95% of incarcerated women in Georgia survived domestic abuse or sexual violence Between 74% and 95% of incarcerated women in Georgia have survived domestic abuse or sexual violence. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: violence,demographics Sources: Women sexually assaulted, beaten at Georgia prison, Atlanta Journal-Constitution QUOTES (3) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] GDC official acknowledged training and staffing failures in PREA auditing GDC's own official who oversees compliance matters acknowledged that the department is 'failing to accomplish appropriate internal training' and faces 'short-staffing challenges in the unit that conducts these facility audits.' Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: staffing,policy,investigations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] National PREA Commission called for independent external oversight The National Prison Rape Elimination Commission's 2009 report explicitly called for independent external oversight as essential to reducing prison sexual abuse: 'Dramatic reductions in sexual abuse depend on rigorous internal monitoring and external oversight.' Date: 2009-01-01 Tags: policy,investigations Sources: National Prison Rape Elimination Commission Report, GovInfo - [reported] ACLU of Georgia called Federal Prison Oversight Act a model for state prisons The ACLU of Georgia called the Federal Prison Oversight Act 'a model for oversight of our state and local prisons and jails.' Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: policy,legal Sources: Bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act Signed into Law, Sen. Ossoff Press Release LEGAL FACTS (12) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia governor never submitted PREA certification of full compliance Georgia's governor has never submitted a PREA certification of full compliance to the Department of Justice. In FY 2017, then-Governor Nathan Deal submitted an 'assurance' — an acknowledgment of non-compliance with a pledge to work toward it — and elected to have impacted DOJ grant funds held in abeyance. Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: FY 2017 List of Certification and Assurance Submissions, Bureau of Justice Assistance - [confirmed] PREA assurance option sunset December 2022 The assurance option sunset on December 16, 2022, with emergency assurances available through October 15, 2024. Date: 2022-12-16 Tags: legal,policy Sources: FY 2017 List of Certification and Assurance Submissions, Bureau of Justice Assistance - [confirmed] DOJ filed Statement of Interest supporting Diamond's position The DOJ filed a Statement of Interest on April 22, 2021, supporting Ashley Diamond's position in Diamond v. Ward. Date: 2021-04-22 Tags: legal Sources: DOJ Statement of Interest, Diamond v. Ward, Center for Constitutional Rights - [confirmed] Cox v. Nobles: PREA violations not per se Eighth Amendment violations In Cox v. Nobles (15 F.4th 1350, 11th Cir. 2021), the Eleventh Circuit established that PREA violations are not per se Eighth Amendment violations. The court held that Ronald Cox, a transgender woman sexually assaulted at three Georgia prisons (Autry, Central, and Augusta State Medical Prison), failed to meet the Farmer v. Brennan two-prong test requiring both objective danger and subjective knowledge by officials. Date: 2021-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] PLRA mandatory exhaustion barrier for sexual assault claims The PLRA's mandatory exhaustion requirement (42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a)) requires prisoners to exhaust all administrative remedies before filing suit. In Georgia, this means navigating a PREA investigation system the DOJ found completely non-functional — where zero out of 388 reviewed files met standards. Tags: legal Sources: No Equal Justice: The Prison Litigation Reform Act in the United States, Human Rights Watch - [confirmed] PLRA physical injury requirement for mental/emotional damages The PLRA's physical injury requirement (42 U.S.C. § 1997e(e)) bars recovery for 'mental or emotional injury' without a 'prior showing of physical injury,' effectively providing legal cover for sexual harassment and psychological torture. Tags: legal Sources: No Equal Justice: The Prison Litigation Reform Act in the United States, Human Rights Watch - [confirmed] Georgia two-year statute of limitations for Section 1983 claims Georgia applies a two-year statute of limitations to Section 1983 claims. Tags: legal Sources: No Equal Justice: The Prison Litigation Reform Act in the United States, Human Rights Watch - [confirmed] Federal Prison Oversight Act signed into law July 2024 Senator Jon Ossoff championed the Federal Prison Oversight Act, signed into law in July 2024, which mandates DOJ Inspector General inspections of all 122 federal prisons and creates an independent ombudsman. Date: 2024-07-01 Tags: legal,policy,investigations Sources: Bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act Signed into Law, Sen. Ossoff Press Release - [confirmed] Georgia Survivor Justice Act (HB 582) signed May 2025 The Georgia Survivor Justice Act (HB 582), signed by Governor Kemp in May 2025, allows abuse survivors to petition for resentencing and requires courts to consider domestic violence history — acknowledging that between 74% and 95% of incarcerated women in Georgia have survived domestic abuse or sexual violence. Date: 2025-05-01 Tags: legal,policy,violence Sources: Women sexually assaulted, beaten at Georgia prison, Atlanta Journal-Constitution - [confirmed] SB 185 prohibits state funds for gender-affirming care for incarcerated people Senate Bill 185 (2025) prohibits state funds for gender-affirming care for incarcerated people, moving in the opposite direction from the Survivor Justice Act. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,medical Sources: Confronting Georgia's Practice of Housing Trans Women in Men's Prisons, Filter Magazine - [confirmed] DOJ gave Georgia 49 days to begin addressing concerns The DOJ's October 2024 findings report gave Georgia 49 days to begin addressing concerns or face federal litigation. Date: 2024-10-01 Tags: legal,investigations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Woodford v. Ngo proper exhaustion requirement Under Woodford v. Ngo (2006), a prisoner who misses a deadline or makes a procedural error in the grievance process is barred from federal court, even for sexual assault claims. Date: 2006-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: Access Denied: Amending the PLRA for Cases of Sexual Assault, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation DATA GAPS (4) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Governor Kemp's PREA certification status unknown for FY 2024-2025 Whether Governor Kemp has submitted a certification, accepted a 5% reduction in DOJ grant funds, or taken some other action for FY 2024 and FY 2025 could not be confirmed and represents a critical information gap. Tags: legal,policy,budget Sources: FY 2017 List of Certification and Assurance Submissions, Bureau of Justice Assistance - [confirmed] 11-year gap in National Inmate Survey self-reported data The NIS was not conducted between 2011-12 and 2023-24, creating an 11-year gap in self-reported prevalence data. This gap coincides precisely with the period during which GDC conditions reportedly deteriorated most dramatically — the period of escalating CO vacancies, rising homicides, and expanding gang control. Tags: violence,investigations Sources: Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025 - [confirmed] Specific high-rate Georgia NIS facility name not yet identified The specific Georgia facility name and its exact prevalence rate identified as high-rate in the NIS-4 data are contained in the full report's appendix tables but have not yet been extracted. Tags: violence,facilities Sources: Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025 - [confirmed] 10 critical information gaps requiring further investigation Ten critical information gaps were identified: NIS-4 facility identification, Kemp's PREA certification status, DOJ settlement status, facility-by-facility capacity data, PREA hotline call volume, rape crisis center MOUs, pending litigation disposition, post-2022 investigation outcomes, PACER searches for sexual assault cases, and GDC implementation of DOJ remedial measures. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: investigations Sources: GPS Research: Sexual Violence and PREA Compliance in Georgia Prisons POLICYS (5) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] National standard for CO vacancy: no more than 10% National standards call for no more than 10% vacancy in correctional officer positions. Tags: staffing,policy Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) - [confirmed] Washington State corrections ombuds model established 2018 Washington State's Office of the Corrections Ombuds (established 2018) operates within the Governor's office, independent of the Department of Corrections, with authority for unannounced facility visits and a requirement that DOC produce records within 5 days for matters involving sexual assault. Date: 2018-01-01 Tags: policy,investigations Sources: Office of Corrections Ombuds, Washington State Department of Corrections - [confirmed] California OIG explicitly receives PREA complaints California's Office of the Inspector General (independent since 1998) explicitly receives PREA and SADEA complaints, reviews allegations of mishandled sexual abuse investigations, and monitors all use-of-force reviews. Date: 1998-01-01 Tags: policy,investigations Sources: Office of the Inspector General, California - [confirmed] New Jersey corrections ombudsperson has subpoena power New Jersey's Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson (revamped 2020) has subpoena power, conducts unannounced inspections, and serves as an external reporting channel for PREA. Date: 2020-01-01 Tags: policy,investigations Sources: New Jersey oversight profile, National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight - [confirmed] GDC formal PREA reporting channels GDC maintains multiple formal channels for reporting sexual abuse: an in-prison PREA hotline (*7732), a toll-free confidential reporting line (1-888-992-7849), email reporting (PREA.report@gdc.ga.gov), and written reports to the Office of Professional Standards. Third parties can report, and anonymous reports are accepted. Tags: policy Sources: GDC PREA Brochure, Georgia Department of Corrections TRENDS (2) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] 35% drop in COs while population declined only 5% (2010-2020) From 2010 to 2020, Georgia saw a 35% drop in correctional officers while the prison population declined only 5%. Tags: staffing,demographics Sources: Consultants: Ga. prisons in 'emergency mode,' with gang influence rising - [estimated] Declining PREA substantiation rates reflect investigation failures Given the DOJ's finding that investigations are 'defective at every level,' declining substantiation rates likely reflect investigation failures rather than declining prevalence of sexual violence. Tags: violence,investigations Sources: DOJ Findings Report: Investigation of Georgia Prisons (October 2024) METHODOLOGY NOTES (2) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] PREA audits assess policy compliance not practice outcomes PREA audits assess policy compliance, not practice outcomes — auditors review documentation, interview selected staff and inmates, and observe physical plant, but may not capture operational reality in a system where more than half of all guard positions are vacant. Tags: investigations,policy Sources: PREA Audit Reports, Georgia Department of Corrections - [reported] Multiple GDC PREA audits conducted by same auditor Multiple GDC audits were conducted by the same auditor, raising questions about whether familiarity breeds complacency. Tags: investigations,policy Sources: PREA Audit Reports, Georgia Department of Corrections DATASETS (2) ---------------------------------------- # GDC PREA Allegations and Substantiation Rates PREA allegations and substantiated cases reported by GDC across available years Year Total Allegations Substantiated Cases Substantiation Rate ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2020 1421 39 2.7 2022 456 35 7.7 2023 819 57 7 2024 31 # Georgia SSV Sexual Abuse Allegations (2019-2022) Annual sexual abuse allegations reported to the BJS Survey of Sexual Victimization from Georgia Year Range Annual Allegations (Low) Annual Allegations (High) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2019-2022 635 702 KEY ENTITIES (39) ---------------------------------------- - ACLU of Georgia [organization]: Has filed multiple legal challenges to Georgia's private probation system, prison conditions, and racial disparities. Published a 2014 report on Georgia's private probation industry. - Ashley Diamond [person]: Transgender woman sexually assaulted 16 times in Georgia men's prisons. Her case contributed to the legal challenge against SB 185. - 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) - Bureau of Justice Statistics [organization]: Federal statistical agency within DOJ that collected and published mortality in correctional institutions data from approximately 2000 until 2019. (aka: BJS) - Cameron Cheeks [person]: Former prison officer who pled guilty to violently raping an inmate, requiring surgery for partial uterus removal. (aka: Officer Cheeks) - 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) - Coastal State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison visited by DOJ during 2022-2023 investigation (aka: Coastal) - Cox v. Nobles [case]: Eleventh Circuit case (15 F.4th 1350, 2021) establishing that PREA violations are not per se Eighth Amendment violations - Diamond v. Ward [case]: Two Section 1983 lawsuits filed by Ashley Diamond: Case No. 5:15-cv-00050-MTT (Feb 2015, $250k settlement) and Case No. 5:20-cv-00453-MTT (Nov 2020), both in Middle District of Georgia (aka: Diamond v. Ward (first case), Diamond v. Ward (second case)) - Dooly State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison where Jackie Kavaskia McMillan led drug trafficking network; second highest cell phone seizure count by end of 2016 (1,342 phones). - Edgar Daniel Johnson [person]: Former guard at Emanuel Women's Facility who pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges for sexually assaulting three female inmates (2012-2013) - Emanuel Women's Facility [facility]: Women's facility in Swainsboro, GA. Capacity 415, GPS active 378. Mental health Levels II/III, Braille program. Alarming death rate: 6 deaths in 2025. (aka: Emanuel WF) - Federal Prison Oversight Act [legislation]: 2024 federal law calling for independent prison oversight through an ombudsman and regular inspections by the Inspector General with 60-day corrective action requirements (aka: FPOA) - Freedom Overground [organization]: Organization serving TGNC incarcerated people across Georgia - 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 Diagnostic and Classification Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison from which David 'Toro' Zavala operated drug trafficking while serving time for armed robbery. - Georgia Prisoners Speak [organization]: Research organization compiling prison mentorship program structure models for rehabilitation vision development. (aka: GPS) - 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. - HB 582 [legislation]: 2025 legislative priority updating Georgia code to reflect modern understanding of domestic violence and prevent unjust convictions of survivors (aka: Survivor Justice) - Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia [organization]: Community stakeholder organization that shared Phillips State Prison fire video on social media - Jon Ossoff [person]: U.S. Senator from Georgia who has pushed to expand substance abuse treatment for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people; his office cites the 129x post-release overdose risk figure (aka: Senator Ossoff, Sen. Ossoff) - Lee Arrendale State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison where drug-coated paper was found being passed in November 2025. - Nathan Deal [person]: Former Georgia Governor (2011-2019) whose justice reinvestment reforms (2012-2015) resulted in a 6% prison population decrease, $264M in averted costs, and $57M reinvested. (aka: Governor Deal) - National Prison Rape Elimination Commission [organization]: Federal commission that published 2009 report calling for independent external oversight as essential to reducing prison sexual abuse - Office of Professional Standards [organization]: GDC's primary investigative division responsible for internal investigation of serious incidents including felonies related to deaths, assaults, riots, and drugs (aka: OPS) - Paulding Regional Youth Detention Center [facility]: Juvenile detention facility in Dallas, Georgia, that had the highest staff sexual victimization rate nationally (33%) in the 2012 BJS survey; closed in late 2013 - PREA Auditors of America [organization]: GDC's own consultants who reviewed 388 PREA investigation files in May 2022 and found zero met standards - Prison Litigation Reform Act [legislation]: 1996 federal legislation that imposed filing fees, administrative exhaustion requirements, attorney fee limits, and a 'three strikes' rule on prisoner civil rights litigation. Caused a 33% drop in federal civil rights filings by prisoners between 1995-1997. (aka: PLRA) - Prison Rape Elimination Act [legislation]: Federal law requiring zero tolerance for sexual abuse and sexual harassment in prisons and mandating specific classification screening to protect vulnerable populations. (aka: PREA, 28 C.F.R. Part 115) - Pulaski State Prison [facility]: Georgia women's state prison where Christina Buttery died on December 21, 2022, from a methamphetamine and fentanyl overdose. - Rogers State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison where two violent incidents occurred during a 2-day DOJ visit in March 2023, including gang fight with multiple knives, 2 airlifts, 5 ambulance transports; warden had been arrested for gang participation less than 2 months prior - Ronald Cox [person]: Transgender woman sexually assaulted at three Georgia prisons (Autry, Central, and Augusta State Medical Prison) who was plaintiff in Cox v. Nobles - SB 185 [legislation]: 2025 Georgia legislation banning transgender prisoner care, led by Burt Jones - Smith State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison targeted by drone smuggling networks; subject of Operation Night Drop indictments. - Southern Center for Human Rights [organization]: Legal advocacy organization that investigated food conditions at Gordon County Jail and sent a formal letter to Sheriff Mitch Ralston in October 2014. (aka: SCHR) - SPLC [organization]: Civil rights organization that has not publicly addressed Georgia's OWL Unit by name (aka: Southern Poverty Law Center) - U.S. Department of Justice [organization]: Federal agency that published October 2024 findings report on unconstitutional conditions in Georgia prisons. (aka: DOJ) - Walker State Prison [facility]: A Georgia state prison noted as a positive exception by the DOJ, with fewer incarcerated people reporting fear and a higher proportion of staff positions filled. SOURCES (29) ---------------------------------------- - 2020 PREA Annual Report, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Corrections (2020-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/document/prea-annual-report/2020-prea-annual-report/download - Access Denied: Amending the PLRA for Cases of Sexual Assault, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation [official_report, secondary] URL: https://www.cbcfinc.org/capstones/criminal-justice-reform/access-denied-amending-the-prison-litigation-reform-acts-administrative-remedy-and-physical-injury-provisions-for-cases-of-sexual-assault/ - Bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act Signed into Law, Sen. Ossoff Press Release, Office of Senator Jon Ossoff (2024-07-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/signed-into-law-sens-ossoff-braun-durbin-reps-mcbath-armstrongs-bipartisan-federal-prison-oversight-act/ - Chapter 43.06C RCW, Washington State Legislature, Washington State Legislature [legislation, primary] URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.06C&full=true - Confronting Georgia's Practice of Housing Trans Women in Men's Prisons, Filter Magazine, Filter Magazine [journalism, secondary] URL: https://filtermag.org/georgia-department-corrections-transgender-prisoners/ - 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 - DOJ Statement of Interest, Diamond v. Ward, Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for Constitutional Rights by U.S. Department of Justice (2021-04-22) [legal_document, primary] URL: https://ccrjustice.org/sites/default/files/attach/2021/04/65_4-22-21_DOJ-SOI_w.pdf - Federal Tracker, Prison Policy Initiative, Prison Policy Initiative [data_portal, secondary] URL: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/federaltracker.html - FY 2017 List of Certification and Assurance Submissions, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Assistance (2017-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/fy17-prea-certification-assurance-submissions.pdf - GDC PREA Brochure, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/document/document/prison-rape-elimination-act-brochure-english-version/download - Georgia Closing Juvenile Prison With Nation's Highest Rate of Sexual Victimization, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (2013-10-29) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://jjie.org/2013/10/29/georgia-closing-juvenile-prison-with-nations-highest-rate-of-sexual-victimization/ - Georgia prison system engages in deception as crisis builds, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Journal-Constitution [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/georgia-prison-officials-have-repeatedly-presented-false-or-misleading-information-to-federal-investigators-state-lawmakers-and-a-federal-judge/H76M74I6L5F5DKXEYSSZEQSLGY/ - GPS Research: Sexual Violence and PREA Compliance in Georgia Prisons, Georgia Prisoners Speak (2025-01-01) [gps_original, tertiary] - Health Implications of Housing Assignments for Incarcerated Transgender Women, PMC, 2020, PMC / Academic Journal (2020-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7144448/ - National Prison Rape Elimination Commission Report, GovInfo, National Prison Rape Elimination Commission (2009-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-111hhrg50862/html/CHRG-111hhrg50862.htm - Nearly 200 Georgia Prison Employees Arrested, Equal Justice Initiative, Equal Justice Initiative [journalism, secondary] URL: https://eji.org/news/nearly-200-georgia-prison-employees-arrested/ - New Jersey oversight profile, National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight, National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight [official_report, secondary] URL: https://prisonoversight.org/oversight-bodies/prison-oversight/new-jersey/ - No Equal Justice: The Prison Litigation Reform Act in the United States, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch (2009-06-16) [official_report, secondary] URL: https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/06/16/no-equal-justice/prison-litigation-reform-act-united-states - Office of Corrections Ombuds, Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington State Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.doc.wa.gov/corrections/incarceration/ombuds.htm - Office of the Inspector General, California, California Office of the Inspector General [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.oig.ca.gov/ - PREA Audit Reports, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/organization/about-gdc/agency-activity/research-and-reports/prison-rape-elimination-act-prea/prea - Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia Profile, Prison Policy Initiative [data_portal, secondary] URL: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/GA.html - Sexual Victimization in Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2023-24, BJS, NCJ 310544, December 9, 2025, Bureau of Justice Statistics (2025-12-09) [official_report, primary] URL: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/sexual-victimization-prisons-reported-inmates-2023-24 - Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2019-2020, BJS, Bureau of Justice Statistics (2022-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/sexual-victimization-reported-adult-correctional-authorities-2019-2020 - Sexual Violence Inside Prisons: Rates of Victimization, Wolff et al., Journal of Urban Health, 2006, Journal of Urban Health by Wolff et al. (2006-01-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2438589/ - Transgender Georgia Prisoner Files Second Lawsuit, Prison Legal News, Prison Legal News (2020-12-29) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2020/dec/29/transgender-georgia-prisoner-files-second-lawsuit-over-lack-treatment-sexual-assaults-after-winning-250000-settlement-same-issues/ - Trump Moved to Dismiss Police Consent Decrees, Lawfare, Lawfare (2025-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trump-moved-to-dismiss-police-consent-decrees-how-can-judges-respond - Women sexually assaulted, beaten at Georgia prison, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Journal-Constitution [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.ajc.com/news/women-sexually-assaulted-beaten-at-georgia-prison/MOPFXLZR5FCKXIFLJL6LUMSOSM/