Every person in Georgia’s prison system — no matter their background — deserves access to safe, adequate, and nutritious food. Yet thousands of incarcerated individuals in the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) are currently experiencing dangerous and inhumane conditions that threaten their health, their safety, and their lives.

People inside Georgia prisons report being served:

 • Spoiled, rotten, or expired food

 • Meals contaminated with insects, mold, or debris

 • Extremely small portions far below basic caloric needs

 • “Slop” that causes nausea, diarrhea, and illness

 • Food prepared in filthy, unsanitary kitchens

As a result, many incarcerated individuals cannot rely on state-provided meals for survival.

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⭐ Survival Depends on Commissary — But Commissary Is Not Accessible

Because state meals are often unsafe or inedible, many individuals depend heavily on commissary. However:

 • Commissary spending is capped at $80 per week

 • Prices have increased significantly

 • Many incarcerated people have no family or friends who can send money

 • Those without support face severe hunger or starvation

 • Even those who can afford commissary often cannot buy enough food to meet basic needs

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⭐ Store Privileges Are Taken Away Frequently — Creating Starvation as Punishment

In many facilities, store/commissary privileges are revoked often, including for minor infractions or unexplained reasons. When this happens:

 • Individuals lose their only reliable food source

 • People are forced to ration scraps

 • Malnutrition and extreme hunger become unavoidable

 • Violence increases as people fight over food

This practice is cruel, dangerous, and unacceptable.

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⭐ Audits & Inspections Are Not Effective — Because Facilities Often Get Advance Warning

Many incarcerated individuals report that GDC staff are warned before inspections, audits, or reviews. When they are alerted:

 • Kitchens are temporarily cleaned

 • Spoiled or rotten inventory is hidden

 • Portions appear normal

 • Conditions appear better than they truly are

This creates the false appearance of compliance. To reveal the truth, inspections must be unannounced, surprise, and conducted by independent agencies with no advance notice to the facility.

Georgia prisons cannot be allowed to prepare or hide violations before inspectors arrive.

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⭐ These Conditions Are Unsafe, Unconstitutional, and a Human Rights Violation 

Starvation, contaminated food, food scarcity–driven violence, and sabotaged inspections violate basic human rights and may constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. We demand immediate action.

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⭐ WE CALL ON THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA, AND STATE LEGISLATORS TO:

1. Require unannounced, surprise inspections in all GDC facilities with no advance warning and independent oversight.

2. Conduct a full audit of food quality, safety, and nutritional compliance.

3. Ensure meals meet basic caloric, nutritional, and food safety standards.

4. Investigate and publicly report cases of spoiled, contaminated, or inadequate food.

5. Reevaluate the commissary $80 weekly limit so individuals can obtain adequate food.

6. Regulate commissary pricing to prevent exploitation and allow affordable access to food.

7. Limit or eliminate the use of commissary privilege revocation so individuals are not starved as a form of punishment.

8. Provide alternative food options when commissary is restricted to ensure no one goes hungry.

9. Establish independent oversight and transparent public reporting to hold facilities accountable.

⭐ No person in Georgia should be starved, deprived of safe food, or forced to live in fear of hunger.

We demand immediate reform, protection, and accountability within the Georgia prison system.