Georgia Department of Corrections Resists Releasing Info on Prison Abuses

The Georgia Department of Corrections is facing a surge in deaths from homicides, suicides, and drug overdoses since 2020, prompting increased scrutiny on its lack of transparency. Lois Norder’s report for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reveals that state prison officials have been restricting public access to crucial information on violence, corruption, escapes, and other incidents. The department has even resisted a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding their investigation into violence within the prison system. Additionally, state lawmakers were denied entry to Lee Arrendale State Prison in 2021 while investigating allegations of inhumane treatment, inadequate medical care, and deaths of female inmates. Despite spokesperson Joan Heath’s claim that the GDC has provided extensive open records to the newspaper, concerns about transparency remain.