Fairness for Prisoners' Families
Regional Family Meetings of the
Georgia Department of Corrections
&
Fairness for Prisoners’ Families
Next Meeting Date (TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED):October 5, 2007
GDC Family Meeting:
9 am to 1 pm
Location for Meeting To Be Announced. Please check back soon for the exact location of the meeting. Thank you
Fairness Drop-in Center:
Open 9 am to 3 pm
Fairness for Prisoners’ Family Meeting:
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church210 S. Wayne Street
Milledgeville, GA 31061
Click here for more information or for directions.
History of the GDC Meetings
In January, 2002, a group of prisoners’ families gathered twice to testify before the Georgia House Corrections Subcommittee to testify about the difficulties facing them in their dealings with the GDC. Many members of the subcommittee were astonished to learn that the families and other loved ones of Georgia prisoners were treated by the GDC as though they, too, had been convicted of crimes and should be punished accordingly. It seemed that this punishment was usually in the form of rude or humiliating responses to families’ concerns.
The legislators hearing this testimony demanded that the GDC remedy the problematic treatment of families and loved ones of its inmates. In response, the GDC scheduled a series of four Family Meetings originally to be held in each of the four GDC regions. The purpose of these meetings was to give family members and significant others an opportunity to convey their concerns and questions one-on-one with a GDC staff person.
Fairness’ Involvement in the GDC’s Regional Family Meetings
Fairness for Prisoners' Families has been and will continue to be a strong presence at GDC Regional Family Meetings. Fairness for Prisoners Families staff have been available to assist attendees in their dialogue with corrections officials, and to gather contact information from families and friends wanting to participate in the growing movement for fairness across the state.
In addition, for each GDC meeting thus far, Fairness for Prisoners' Families has sponsored a Drop-in Center at a nearby church providing childcare, food and a place for families and friends attending the GDC event to meet and share experiences. Many who came to the Fairness Drop-in Center reported that though their experience at the GDC meeting had been disappointing, making contact with other families and friends of inmates was itself worth the trip to Milledgeville.
As people at the GDC meeting and the Fairness Drop-in Center spoke to one another, it quickly emerged that the difficulties encountered by one family were shared by countless others. Feelings of isolation and powerlessness began to change. The discovery of belonging to a community of people coping with these issues gave many a sense of hope they didn’t have before.