The Gist: A 66-year-old inmate died at Central State Prison in Macon on Christmas Day.
The Details: Joseph Akins, serving a 20-year sentence for arson from Crisp County, was found deceased in an open area of the prison. The cause of death is currently unknown, and his body has been sent to the GBI crime lab for determination.
In Context: This incident adds to a series of recent inmate deaths. Within nine days prior to Akins’ death, two inmates were fatally stabbed, and another was killed in a fight at nearby Macon State Prison. Additionally, another inmate at Dooly State Prison died from natural causes.
By The Numbers:
- From July 2022 to July 2023, there were over 1,000 inmate-on-inmate assaults in Georgia state prisons.
- More than 200 deaths occurred last year in these prisons, with 38 being homicides.
Why It Matters: These incidents come amidst ongoing scrutiny of the conditions in Georgia’s state prisons. Since 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice has been investigating whether Georgia provides reasonable protection from physical harm to prisoners.
What’s Next?: The investigation by the DOJ into the Georgia Department of Corrections continues, with the DOJ previously taking the department to court for failing to provide details on inmate deaths.
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