Georgia has 34 state prisons operated directly by the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC).1Georgia Department of Corrections. State Prisons If the question is how many prisons are in Georgia in total, the answer depends on what counts: the GDC’s own facilities division oversees more than 60 sites once you add transitional centers, treatment facilities, probation detention centers, and contracted private and county prisons.2Georgia Department of Corrections. Facilities Division On top of that, Georgia’s 159 counties each generally run their own jail, and the federal Bureau of Prisons operates several facilities in the state that are entirely separate from the GDC.
The 34 State Prisons
The 34 state prisons are the long-term facilities that hold people convicted of felony offenses in Georgia. Together they house nearly 49,000 inmates.1Georgia Department of Corrections. State Prisons Each one is assigned a security classification, and individual facilities may specialize in particular populations such as women, inmates with serious medical needs, or those requiring mental health care.
This is the number most people mean when they ask how many prisons the state has. It is also where the confusion usually starts, because the GDC’s reach extends well past these 34 buildings.
Other Facilities Under GDC Oversight
The GDC’s Facilities Division operates or contracts with several other categories of facility. The counts, straight from the department:2Georgia Department of Corrections. Facilities Division
- 13 transitional centers
- 12 residential substance abuse treatment centers
- 7 probation detention centers
- 2 integrated treatment facilities
- 4 contracted private prisons
- 21 contracted county prisons holding state-sentenced offenders
Add those to the 34 state prisons and the GDC’s footprint comes to more than 90 locations, which is why the department describes its system as running to over 60 facilities in its own summaries.
Private Prisons
Four privately run prisons hold state inmates under contract. CoreCivic operates three: Coffee Correctional Facility in Nicholls, Jenkins Correctional Facility in Millen, and Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo. The GEO Group runs Riverbend Correctional Facility in Milledgeville. Combined, these four facilities house roughly 5,376 offenders.3Georgia Department of Corrections. Private Prisons Fact Sheet
Transitional Centers
The 13 transitional centers function as a step between prison and release. They are spread across the state, from Atlanta and Augusta down to Valdosta and Alma.4Georgia Department of Corrections. Find a Location Residents work on housing, employment, and reentry planning with counselors before being released into the community.5Georgia Department of Corrections. Transitional Centers Fact Sheet
Probation Detention Centers
The seven probation detention centers (PDCs) are minimum-security facilities that can hold probationers for up to 180 days, either on direct sentencing by a judge or after a revocation hearing. Across the seven PDCs there are 1,836 beds total, with one facility of 237 beds designated for women.6Georgia Department of Corrections. Probation Detention Center
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
The 12 residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) centers are not standalone prisons. They are structured treatment programs housed inside existing GDC facilities, serving inmates with addiction histories.2Georgia Department of Corrections. Facilities Division
County Jails
Georgia’s 159 counties each generally operate their own jail under the local sheriff’s authority. These are a separate system from the state prisons. Jails primarily hold people awaiting trial and those serving shorter sentences, and the sheriff is responsible for the custody, medical care, and basic needs of everyone in the jail.7Justia. Georgia Code 42-4-4 – Duties of Sheriff as to Jail Inmates County jails also hold some state-sentenced felons after conviction while they wait to be transferred to a GDC facility, with the GDC reimbursing counties for those inmates.8Georgia Secretary of State. Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia – Subject 125-2-4 Offender Administration
Federal Prisons in Georgia
The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates several facilities inside Georgia for people convicted of federal crimes, including the USP Atlanta complex and FCI Jesup.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 4042 – Duties of Bureau of Prisons These are federal, not state, and do not fall under the GDC or any county sheriff. They follow their own classification, programming, and visitation rules.
Where Georgia’s Prisons Are Located
Georgia’s state prisons are not spread evenly across the state. The GDC’s facility map shows a heavy concentration in central and southern Georgia, particularly around and south of Macon.4Georgia Department of Corrections. Find a Location Central State Prison sits in Macon itself. Autry State Prison is in Pelham, and Colquitt County Correctional Institution is in Moultrie, both rural southern communities. Fewer state prisons sit in north Georgia or in metro Atlanta, though several transitional centers are clustered near Atlanta to put residents close to the state’s largest job market.
For families planning a visit, that geography matters more than any headline count. The GDC’s facility finder lists every location and its address, and it is the most reliable way to confirm where a specific person is being held.