Georgia prisoners are receiving as few as 1,200 calories daily—half the USDA minimum—while private food contractors pocket bonuses for serving smaller portions, according to a new investigation. The systematic starvation is fueling violence, disease, and deaths across the state's 34 prisons, costing taxpayers millions in healthcare and security expenses. Key Facts Georgia spends $1.77-$2.20 per …
Georgia is building a $24 million 'hardened' 126-bed unit at Hays State Prison as part of a $600 million construction surge, despite a DOJ finding that the state's prisons violate the Constitution through gang control and deliberate indifference. The new fortress-style approach ignores root causes like chronic understaffing and malnutrition that fuel the violence officials …
California's rehabilitation-focused 'Prisneyland' model recorded one death and two use-of-force incidents at Valley State Prison, while Georgia's punishment-first system saw 333 deaths in 2024 alone, including over 100 homicides. The stark contrast highlights how California's $239 million investment in education and dignity produces safer outcomes than Georgia's $1.6 billion in new walls and isolation units. …
Georgia's Department of Corrections operates a two-tier markup scheme that extracts $47 million annually from families of 53,500 inmates, charging up to 1,800% above wholesale prices for basic necessities. When vendor costs decreased on 153 items in 2025, the state kept those savings while raising inmate prices, pocketing an additional $420,000 in profit. Key Facts …