What Georgia State Prison Used to Be: Special Units, Medical Care, and Security Features
Georgia State Prison's complex included general population cellblocks for standard day-to-day housing. The facility also had Special Management Units (SMU) - typically used for tighter control and separation in a maximum-security setting. MH/MR units (mental health / mental retardation) were part of the layout too, providing designated space for people with certain mental health-related needs.
Note: Georgia State Prison was closed by the Georgia Department of Corrections on February 19, 2022, so the unit descriptions here are historical.
One standout feature: Georgia State Prison operated a 26-bed surgical unit on-site. That meant some surgical care could be handled within the prison complex rather than requiring transport elsewhere. The county also notes that Georgia State Prison was the first U.S. prison accredited by both the American Medical Association and the American Correctional Association - a historical marker tied to how the facility's medical and correctional operations were viewed at the time.
Note: The accreditation is cited as a historical fact about the former facility; it shouldn’t be read as a statement about current standards, since the prison is closed.
The former Georgia State Prison had several specialized security and emergency-response elements. A C.E.R.T. team (Corrections Emergency Response Team) handled higher-risk incidents and rapid response. Two tactical squads added another layer of specialized staffing for security situations. The facility also maintained a canine unit for searches and security operations, plus an on-site fire station for fire response.
Note: A CERT team and tactical squads are specialized response resources - part of how a maximum-security facility can handle emergencies and high-risk events.
Georgia State Prison wasn't a small operation. The county describes it as the state's main maximum security facility, which explains why it needed multiple specialized units and response teams. At its peak, the prison housed approximately 1,550 inmates - closer to a large institution than a small regional prison.
Key context: Being Georgia’s main maximum-security facility shaped what the prison needed to operate - housing, medical capacity, and security response were built around that role.
If you're trying to understand what your loved one's time at Georgia State Prison looked like before it closed, these unit names can help translate paperwork and old references. "General population" means standard housing in the cellblocks. "SMU" signals a more controlled setting. References to MH/MR units explain why some people were housed separately or routed through different services. The 26-bed surgical unit adds context when you're looking at older medical records or hearing family stories about care provided on-site. None of this replaces an individual's file, but it gives you a clearer picture of what the facility was set up to handle.
- ✓ Georgia State Prison was closed on February 19, 2022.
- ✓ The units and features described above are historical, describing what the facility used to include.
- ✓ For case-specific details, rely on official records tied to the individual’s incarceration and medical history.
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