Nearly 200,000 Georgia children have an incarcerated parent. Their test scores drop 15-20%. Their graduation rates fall to 64%. Georgia’s prison crisis isn’t contained behind walls—it radiates into classrooms, destroying educational outcomes for children who committed no crime. 1
The Academic Toll
Research documents the damage parental incarceration inflicts on education:
| Metric | Children of Incarcerated Parents | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Standardized test scores | 15-20% lower | Baseline |
| GPA difference | 0.5 points lower | Baseline |
| High school graduation | 64% | 85% |
| College enrollment | 23% | 66% |
| Grade retention rate | 38% | 11% |
| Dropout likelihood | 2.3x higher | Baseline |
These aren’t children who struggle because of their own choices. These are children punished for what the state did to their parents.
Why the Damage Happens
Parental incarceration creates cascading disruptions:
- Trauma — The psychological impact equals experiencing abuse or domestic violence
- Instability — One in three affected children changes schools 3+ times per year, losing 4-6 months of learning with each move
- Poverty — Families lose an average of $12,000 annually; 62% struggle to afford basic school supplies
- Stigma — 68% face bullying; teachers’ biases limit opportunities
- Absence — Over 40% miss 10+ school days annually due to court dates and caregiving disruptions
Georgia’s system makes every factor worse. The state charges families to maintain contact with incarcerated parents—$200-300 monthly for phone calls alone. That money comes directly from children’s educational resources.
The Bias Problem
Schools compound the damage. Research shows:
- 57% of teachers associate parental incarceration with behavioral risks
- 34% less likely to be recommended for gifted programs—even with qualifying scores
- 29% avoid group activities due to shame and isolation
Children of incarcerated parents face systemic disadvantage at every level. The state incarcerates their parents, extracts their families’ resources, and then schools treat them as problems rather than victims.
Georgia’s Contribution to the Crisis
Georgia incarcerates approximately 50,250 people. About 60% are parents. The state’s extreme incarceration rate creates a uniquely severe impact on children:
- 8% of Georgia children experience parental incarceration—nearly 200,000 kids
- Georgia’s incarceration rate exceeds most developed nations
- Long sentences mean extended family separation and damage
- Parole delays keep parents incarcerated beyond necessary time
Every day Georgia keeps someone incarcerated beyond when they could safely return home, the state damages that person’s children’s educational outcomes. 1
What Would Help
Evidence-based interventions that Georgia refuses to implement:
- Free family contact — Maintain parent-child bonds without financial extraction
- School-based support — Dedicated staff trained to help affected students
- Teacher training — Address biases that limit opportunities
- Mentorship programs — Provide stability and role models
- Earlier release — Return parents home when they’re ready, not when sentences arbitrarily end
Texas invested $241 million in rehabilitation and saved $4 billion while reducing incarceration. Georgia builds new prisons instead.
Resources for Families
- Facilities Directory — Information on every Georgia facility
- Mortality Database — If you’ve lost someone in custody
- Report Conditions — Share what you’re experiencing
- Informational Resources — Guides and information for families
- Pathways to Success — Reentry and support resources
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding family-friendly policies. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Free video visitation to maintain family bonds
- School support programs for children of incarcerated parents
- Earlier parole for parents who are ready to return home
- End financial extraction that impoverishes families
Further Reading
- Families Left Behind: The Forgotten Victims of Georgia’s Prison System
- Parole Theater: How Georgia’s Parole Board Rubber-Stamps Inevitable Releases
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
