TIP BRIEF
December 27, 2025
media@gps.press
December 27, 2025
media@gps.press
Georgia Prison Staffing Hits 15-Year Low Despite $600 Million Investment
THE STORY IN ONE SENTENCE
Despite investing over $600 million in corrections and commissioning reports documenting catastrophic failures, Georgia's correctional officer staffing has fallen to a 15-year low while the prison population reaches a 15-year high.
Governor Brian Kemp commissioned independent investigations that found Georgia's prisons operating at less than 50% staffing with constitutional violations, then invested over $600 million across two fiscal years. One year later, correctional officer staffing has fallen to a 15-year low while the prison population has risen to a 15-year high, with over 50,600 people now incarcerated by the state.
FACILITY BREAKDOWN
| Facility | Close Security Inmates | Percentage Close Security | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dooly State Prison | 455 | 28.6% | Medium Security (misclassified) |
What GPS Documented (Original Findings)
- GDC stopped reporting causes of death in March 2024 — Source: GPS analysis of GDC mortality reports
- Dooly State Prison houses 455 close security inmates (28.6% of population) despite being classified as medium security — Source: GPS open records requests
- Georgia invested over $600 million into GDC across two fiscal years — Source: GPS analysis of state budget documents
- Georgia is spending $1.6 billion on new prison construction — Source: GPS analysis of state construction contracts
- Darrow Brown, 58, was stabbed to death on November 7, 2025, at Dooly State Prison after accidentally bumping into another inmate — Source: GPS reporting
Data source: GPS analysis of GDC Monthly Reports, open records requests, and state budget documents
What DOJ Already Confirmed
- Constitutional violations among the most severe ever found nationwide — Pages DOJ Findings Letter
- Systemic failures to protect incarcerated people from violence and sexual abuse — Pages DOJ Findings Letter
- In June 2024 alone, GDC reported only six homicides while at least 18 people had been murdered — Pages DOJ Findings Letter
Source: DOJ Findings Report, October 1, 2024
https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1374141/dl
What GDC Concealed
-
Stopped reporting causes of death in March 2024, obscuring violence data
How to verify: Compare pre-March 2024 mortality reports with current reports; request explanation for policy change -
Housing close security inmates in medium security facilities without public disclosure
How to verify: Request population breakdowns by security classification for all medium security facilities -
Actual homicide numbers significantly higher than reported to public
How to verify: Cross-reference DOJ findings with GDC public mortality reports for same time periods