Over 23,000 illegal items seized in Georgia prisons in 2022—cell phones, drugs, weapons. 50% of correctional officer positions are vacant statewide. 59% of inmates have gang ties. In five years, 428 prison staff were charged with crimes—80% tied to contraband smuggling. Guards smuggle drugs while gangs run distribution. Georgia’s prisons have become organized crime operations. 1
The Contraband Economy
Georgia’s prisons run an underground market:
- 8,000 cell phones seized—in 2022 alone
- 11,000 weapons seized—in 2022 alone
- $7 million in drugs seized—Operation Skyhawk
- 87 drones confiscated—used for smuggling
This isn’t occasional smuggling. It’s an industrial operation run by gangs with staff cooperation.
Staff Corruption
Guards are part of the criminal enterprise:
- 428 staff charged—with crimes over five years
- 80% smuggling-related—corruption is systematic
- Low pay motivates—guards earn less than competitive wages
- Coercion enables—gang threats force cooperation
The 2023 “Yves Saint Laurent Squad” scandal revealed the depth of staff involvement in prison crime.
Gang Control
Gangs dominate because the state doesn’t:
- 59% of inmates—have gang ties
- Distribution networks—controlled by organized groups
- Extortion operations—families pay for “protection”
- Violence enforces control—non-compliance means injury
With 50% vacancy rates, there aren’t enough staff to challenge gang control.
The Safety Impact
Contraband makes prisons more dangerous:
- More homicides—weapons available to all
- More assaults—drugs fuel violence
- Debt servitude—inmates trapped by contraband debt
- Gang power—criminal networks strengthened
Contraband doesn’t just exist in Georgia’s prisons—it defines them. 2
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding an end to prison contraband operations in Georgia. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Competitive wages for correctional staff
- Prosecution of staff involved in smuggling
- Independent oversight of prison operations
- Technology to prevent drone smuggling
Further Reading
- Blood Money: How Georgia’s Prison Economy Thrives on Human Suffering
- Inside Georgia’s Gangs: How Prisons Became Crime Hubs
- 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.
