In a 14-page letter sent to the Georgia Department of Corrections this month, the Atlanta-based nonprofit described cells with mold and vermin, temperatures above 100 degrees without air conditioning, and numerous toilets and sinks that do not work. Some cell floors are covered in sewage and waste, the group said. Many cells also lack working lights, leaving people inside in near darkness.

The group said 25 people died at the prison between January 2025 and August 2026. It classified 12 of the deaths as homicides and six as suicides, according to information cited in the letter. In one case, the center said, it took two days for staff to find a man’s body.

The Southern Center argues that conditions at the facility are unlawful and violate the U.S. Constitution. Its letter calls on Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver and other state officials to address the problems immediately. The center also raised concerns about limited access to telephones and inadequate staffing.

The Department of Corrections said it is committed to maintaining safe and sanitary facilities and that improvements have been made. The agency said it was aware of the allegations. Gov. Brian Kemp’s office declined to comment.

The concerns come amid broader staffing shortages across Georgia’s prison system. The Southern Center cited audits that found a 73% correctional-officer vacancy rate at Valdosta State Prison. The group said it is considering whether to pursue litigation, but has not decided to do so.

Valdosta State Prison is among the state facilities facing scrutiny over safety, staffing and conditions for incarcerated people. The Southern Center said warnings about problems have been raised for years, but that the latest accounts point to urgent risks to people living and working inside the prison.