Every week, inmates across the state of Georgia are putting themselves at risk to capture videos showcasing what is happening behind prison walls.”, a guy is knocked out cold. It is a gang beating,” said Susan Burns with the Facebook group They Have No Voice.The inmates are sending these videos to advocacy groups like the Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia in an effort to raise awareness.Many of the videos are being shot at Smith State Prison.”Smith State Prison is just, unfortunately, one of the worst ones that we’re seeing right now,” said Brian Randolph with the HCRCGA.Since the start of the year, the Georgia Department of Corrections said there have been at least five homicides at Smith State Prison alone.”Never in my life did I imagine I would be watching things like this,” Burns said.Burns and Randolph are just some of the advocates who have been working to bring awareness to what is happening.”It transcends race, it transcends age. It is just suffering. That’s all that’s going on there. There’s misery in Georgia prisons,” Burns said.These advocates say some of the people being attacked in prison are non-violent offenders.”You’re dealing with someone, with a nine-month sentence, probation violation, that may not make it out alive,” Randolph said.The advocates feel understaffing is a large part of the problem.”You see all of these videos, and you see all of the gang violence and just the violence taking place, and you never see an officer anywhere,” Randolph said.They feel an influx of gang-affiliated inmates is also contributing to the issue.”It has reached the point that the staff is not really in charge,” Burns said.The GDC told WJCL 22 News they are actively working to recruit more correctional officers. They said in the month of July alone, they held 120 job fairs and ended up hiring 136 officers. In August, the GDC conducted 159 hiring events and job fairs.They said turnover rates are also trending in the right direction. They said the following numbers reflect a decrease over the last three fiscal years:FY21 = 56.7%FY22 = 47.8%FY23 = 39.9%Randolph fears, however, that until the conditions inside Georgia prisons improve, understaffing will remain an issue.”Nobody wants to work in a prison. Unfortunately, that’s where we are,” he said.Human and Civil Rights Coalition is planning to hold a rally at the Governor’s Mansion on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
Every week, inmates across the state of Georgia are putting themselves at risk to capture videos showcasing what is happening behind prison walls.
“[In one video], a guy is knocked out cold. It is a gang beating,” said Susan Burns with the Facebook group They Have No Voice.
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The inmates are sending these videos to advocacy groups like the Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia in an effort to raise awareness.
Many of the videos are being shot at Smith State Prison.
“Smith State Prison is just, unfortunately, one of the worst ones that we’re seeing right now,” said Brian Randolph with the HCRCGA.
Since the start of the year, the Georgia Department of Corrections said there have been at least five homicides at Smith State Prison alone.
“Never in my life did I imagine I would be watching things like this,” Burns said.
Burns and Randolph are just some of the advocates who have been working to bring awareness to what is happening.
“It transcends race, it transcends age. It is just suffering. That’s all that’s going on there. There’s misery in Georgia prisons,” Burns said.
These advocates say some of the people being attacked in prison are non-violent offenders.
“You’re dealing with someone, [for example,] with a nine-month sentence, probation violation, that may not make it out alive,” Randolph said.
The advocates feel understaffing is a large part of the problem.
“You see all of these videos, and you see all of the gang violence and just the violence taking place, and you never see an officer anywhere,” Randolph said.
They feel an influx of gang-affiliated inmates is also contributing to the issue.
“It has reached the point that the staff is not really in charge,” Burns said.
The GDC told WJCL 22 News they are actively working to recruit more correctional officers. They said in the month of July alone, they held 120 job fairs and ended up hiring 136 officers. In August, the GDC conducted 159 hiring events and job fairs.
They said turnover rates are also trending in the right direction. They said the following numbers reflect a decrease over the last three fiscal years:
- FY21 = 56.7%
- FY22 = 47.8%
- FY23 = 39.9%
Randolph fears, however, that until the conditions inside Georgia prisons improve, understaffing will remain an issue.
“Nobody wants to work in a prison. Unfortunately, that’s where we are,” he said.
Human and Civil Rights Coalition is planning to hold a rally at the Governor’s Mansion on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
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