DOJ to probe GA prison conditions

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WALB) - The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has opened a statewide civil investigation to examine whether Georgia provides prisoners reasonable protection from physical harm at the hands of other prisoners.

The agency has an existing investigation into whether Georgia provides lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex prisoners reasonable protection from sexual abuse by other prisoners and by staff.

“Ensuring the inherent human dignity and worth of everyone, including people who are incarcerated inside our nation’s jails and prisons, is a top priority,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Prison conditions that enable inmates to engage in dangerous and even deadly activity are an injustice, jeopardizing the lives of detainees, staff members, and other corrections personnel,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our local law enforcement and corrections partners, with whom we work closely each and every day, are indispensable to our united goal of achieving a safer Georgia for all. Under the leadership of the department’s Civil Rights Division, we look forward to collaborating with our state partners to address our mutual concern for safety in the corrections system.”

The 15 prisons located in the Middle District of Georgia are:

Autry State Prison, Baldwin State Prison, Calhoun State Prison, Central State Prison, Dooly State Prison, Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison, Hancock State Prison, Lee State Prison, Macon State Prison, Pulaski State Prison, Riverbend Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility (The GEO Group), Rutledge State Prison, Valdosta State Prison & Valdosta Annex, Whitworth Women’s Facility and Wilcox State Prison.

CLICK HERE to read the full statement from the Justice Department.