Georgia Secretly Packs Close Security Inmates Into Medium Prisons, Death Rates Soar

FACILITY BREAKDOWN

What GPS Documented (Original Findings)

• Dooly State Prison houses 455 close security inmates, representing 28.6% of its population — Source: GPS analysis of GDC population data obtained via open records request, October 2025
• Wilcox State Prison houses 545 close security inmates (29.7%), Calhoun houses 487 (29.4%), Washington houses 418 (27.7%) — Source: GPS analysis of GDC population data obtained via open records request, October 2025
• Other medium security facilities in Georgia maintain close security populations between 0% and 3% — Source: GPS analysis of GDC population data
• Darrow Brown, 58, was stabbed to death on November 7, 2025 at Dooly State Prison by a Crip gang member after accidentally bumping into another inmate — Source: GDC inmate records and witness accounts from Dooly State Prison inmates
• GDC stopped reporting causes of death in March 2024 — Source: GPS analysis of GDC mortality reports

Data source: GPS analysis of GDC Monthly Reports and family interviews

What DOJ Already Confirmed

• Between January 2022 and April 2023, DOJ documented more than 1,400 violent incidents across GDC's close- and medium-security prisons — Pages Available in full report
• GDC's classification and housing systems do not function properly and do not enforce classification housing assignments — Pages Available in full report
• GDC systematically misclassifies homicides as 'unknown' or 'undetermined' causes of death — Pages Available in full report
• Systemwide correctional officer vacancy rates above 50% — Pages Available in full report

Source: DOJ Findings Report, October 1, 2024
https://gps.press/doj-report

RECORDS JOURNALISTS SHOULD REQUEST

Georgia Open Records Act:

1. "Monthly Population Reports by Security Classification"
   Current inmate population broken down by security level for each facility
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: 2022-2025
   Expected response: 3-5 business days; fee quote likely for large requests
2. "Monthly Mortality Reports"
   Death reports showing causes of death and circumstances
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: 2023-2025
   Expected response: 3-5 business days
3. "Incident Reports for November 7, 2025 - Dooly State Prison"
   Official incident report for Darrow Brown homicide
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: November 7, 2025
   Expected response: 3-5 business days
4. "Incident Reports for September 12, 2024 - Dooly State Prison"
   Official incident report for riot that cost $383,000 in medical expenses
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: September 12, 2024
   Expected response: 3-5 business days
5. "Correctional Officer Staffing Reports"
   Current authorized vs. filled positions by facility
   Agency: Georgia Department of Corrections
   Date range: 2024-2025
   Expected response: 3-5 business days

Federal FOIA:

1. "DOJ Civil Rights Division investigation files on Georgia prisons"
   Agency: DOJ Civil Rights Division

SOURCES AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

Families (contact via media@gps.press):

• Family of Darrow Brown — Dooly State Prison (November 7, 2025)
• Family of Joshua Parrott — Dooly State Prison (January 9, 2025)
• Family of Horacio Philmore — Dooly State Prison (February 2, 2025)
• Family of Zeary Davis — Dooly State Prison (September 26, 2024)

Incarcerated Witnesses:

• Incarcerated witness to September 12, 2024 Dooly riot
  "These weren't fist fights. It was shanks and machetes everywhere. When it kicked off, officers ran. We were on our own. It was a blood bath—literally, blood was squirting out of people."
  GPS can facilitate secure communication.
• Multiple incarcerated witnesses to recent homicides
  "Available through GPS"
  GPS can facilitate secure communication.

Experts:

• Available through GPS, Prison classification experts — Prison security classification systems and their impact on violence

OFFICIALS WHO SHOULD BE ASKED FOR COMMENT

* None have been asked for on-record comment by major media outlets.

QUESTIONS GDC HAS NOT ANSWERED

1. When did this start? How long have these four facilities been operating with 28-30% close security populations?
2. Why these four? What criteria did GDC use to select Dooly, Wilcox, Calhoun, and Washington for this dangerous experiment?
3. Where's the staffing? If these facilities are effectively operating as close security, why haven't they received close security staffing levels and protocols?
4. Who approved this? Did the GDC Commissioner sign off on housing close security inmates in medium facilities at rates 10 times higher than other facilities?
5. What's the plan? Does GDC intend to fix this classification mismatch, or will it continue indefinitely?

GPS submitted these questions via Not yet asked on Unknown . Status: No response

STORY ANGLES

Local:

Focus on families from specific counties who lost loved ones in these facilities - particularly Darrow Brown's family and the impact on rural Georgia communities

Policy:

Examine the cost of housing close security inmates in medium facilities without proper staffing - $383,000 in medical costs from one riot alone

Accountability:

Investigate which officials knew about the classification mismatch and failed to act, including Deputy Warden Hudson and Captain Nicholson who ignored murder warnings

Data:

Request historical population data to track when this crisis began and analyze the correlation between classification mismatches and violence rates across all Georgia facilities

QUOTABLES

"GDC's mortality data categorizes many deaths that obviously were homicides as having an unknown reason or unknown verified cause of death"

— U.S. Department of Justice, October 2024 report

"These weren't fist fights. It was shanks and machetes everywhere. When it kicked off, officers ran. We were on our own. It was a blood bath—literally, blood was squirting out of people."

— Witness to September 12 Dooly riot

"GDC's classification and housing systems expose incarcerated persons to an unreasonable risk of violence"

— U.S. Department of Justice, October 2024 report

SOURCE DOCUMENTS

• DOJ Investigation of Georgia Prisons Report (PDF)
  https://gps.press/doj-report
• GDC Monthly Population Reports (PDF)
  http://Available%20via%20Open%20Records%20Request
• GDC Monthly Mortality Reports (PDF)
  http://Available%20via%20Open%20Records%20Request

GPS Full Investigation:
https://gps.press/the-classification-crisis-how-four-medium-security-prisons-are-killing-people/