330 deaths in custody in 2024, including 100 homicides. 8,000+ assaults. 314 stabbings. Georgia’s prison system has abandoned basic human decency. The DOJ found constitutional violations. 75% of deaths at Fulton County Jail involved people with mental health conditions. 91% of the jail’s population is Black—in a county that’s only 45% Black. When did we decide that “criminal” means “less than human”? The answer defines who we are as a society. 1
The Numbers That Shame Us
Georgia’s prison conditions reveal moral failure:
- 1,400+ violent incidents—2022-2023 alone
- 456 sexual abuse allegations—same period
- 142 homicides—2018-2023
- Lashawn Thompson—died in insect-infested cell, 2022
Lashawn Thompson’s death in a filthy, bug-infested cell symbolizes the system’s complete collapse. Six Black men have died in violent attacks at Fulton County Jail since 2022. These aren’t statistics—they’re indictments.
Mental Health Abandonment
Georgia ignores the most vulnerable:
- 75% of jail deaths—people with mental health diagnoses
- 62% of inmates—struggle with mental health or substance disorders
- Minimal treatment available—understaffing prevents care
- Isolation worsens conditions—predictable deterioration
“At the end of the day, people do not abandon their civil and constitutional rights at the jailhouse door,” stated the DOJ. Georgia acts as if they do. 2
The Racial Reality
Incarceration in Georgia reflects systemic racism:
- 91% of Fulton County Jail—Black residents
- 45% of Fulton County—Black population
- 5x incarceration rate—Black vs. white Georgians
- Similar offense rates—vastly different outcomes
When a system produces such stark disparities, it reflects choices—not accidents. Georgia’s prison system criminalizes poverty and race.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding humane prison conditions in Georgia. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Expanded mental health treatment in prisons
- Independent oversight of prison conditions
- Accountability for deaths in custody
- Addressing racial disparities in incarceration
Further Reading
- Georgia Prison Deaths: DOJ Findings Explained
- Trusting the Untrustworthy: When the Government Controls Your Food, Shelter, Medical and Safety
- 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.
