94% of Georgia inmates report going hungry daily. Roach legs in cornbread. Rats in food storage. Broken locks. Raw sewage. When Georgia takes custody of a human being, it assumes responsibility for every basic need. The DOJ found Georgia fails on all of them—food, shelter, safety, medical care. This isn’t negligence. It’s policy. The state controls every aspect of inmates’ survival, then systematically denies adequate provision. That’s not punishment—it’s cruelty. 1
Food: Contamination and Starvation
Georgia’s prison food fails basic standards:
- 94% of inmates—report insufficient food daily
- 40% rarely get fresh produce—vitamin deficiencies common
- Contamination documented—roach legs in cornbread, rats in storage
- Commissary exploitation—overpriced items to avoid starvation
Inmates are forced to buy commissary food at inflated prices because state-provided meals are inedible or insufficient. Hunger becomes a revenue stream.
Shelter: Hazardous Conditions
Facilities fail basic habitability:
- Broken locks—security compromised
- Leaking roofs—water damage and mold
- Failed heating and cooling—extreme temperatures
- Unsanitary conditions—health hazards throughout
Georgia’s $1.5 billion budget produces facilities that wouldn’t pass basic building codes. 2
Safety: Abandoned to Violence
Understaffing creates lawless zones:
- Severe understaffing—power vacuums enable gang control
- Extortion common—inmates left to fend for themselves
- Assaults routine—no staff to intervene
- DOJ finding—”lawless zones” within facilities
When the state abandons its duty to protect, inmates become victims of organized violence the state enabled.
Medical Care: Delayed to Death
Healthcare failures kill:
- Long delays—weeks or months for treatment
- Misdiagnoses common—inadequate staff
- Denied medications—cost-cutting over care
- Preventable deaths—documented pattern
“Nutrient-rich diets in correctional facilities can improve rehabilitation, reduce recidivism, and benefit communities,” notes Emily Shelton of Ignite Justice. Georgia chooses the opposite.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding basic humane conditions in Georgia prisons. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Adequate food quantity and quality
- Safe and sanitary living conditions
- Sufficient staffing for safety
- Timely access to medical care
Further Reading
- Sanitation Standards vs. Reality in Georgia Prisons
- Georgia Department of Corrections Food Budget for Prisoners
- 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.
