VALDOSTA — Numerous incidents of violence inside Valdosta State Prison (VSP) have prompted an investigation by The Times, the third such investigation in the last four years.

Even as The Times actively seeks information through Open Records requests, filed with the Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC) in May and June, inmate violence continues.



The most recent victim, Esteban Pineda, 32, died June 29, 2011, from multiple stab wounds sustained in an altercation with fellow inmates.



The incidence of serious stabbing assaults at the prison during the last two years is more than a dozen, and includes guards as well as inmates, according to previous articles and sources.



The DOC provided information to The Times this week with answers to some, but not all, of the questions posed in the most recent Open Records filing on June 10. The DOC is restricted by HIPPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws, which makes it illegal for the state to release information related to medical treatment of an inmate unless the injuries are fatal, in which case records can be released post mortem.



The Times had to limit its inquiries to general information regarding assaults and statistics on the inmates incarcerated at the prison.



The following numbers have been provided by the Department of Corrections.



Prison Population



There are 1,452 inmates at Valdosta State Prison, with 418 total staff members. Of those 1,452 inmates, 66 are serving life without parole, 243 are serving life sentences, and 108 are serving 20 years or more, representing more than a quarter of all the inmates.



Nearly half of the inmates are serving sentences of 10 years or less, with 25 percent serving 10 to 20 years.



A total of 73 percent of the inmate population are classified as violent offenders.



Nearly 86 percent of the inmates are classified as medium or close security.



Assaults



Since January 2009, there have been 88 inmate-to-inmate assaults, with only one involving a weapon, and 82 inmate-to-staff assaults, five of which involved a weapon. One staff-on-inmate assault was reported, with no weapon involved.



DOC did not provide a definition of “weapon,” so it is unknown if other objects involved in an assault are included.



These numbers can be misleading as they also include incidents with no physical contact, only the threat of contact, according to Kristine Pham, DOC assistant counsel.



During the same time period, there were two suicides recorded, four attempted suicides and 12 deaths, which include deaths from natural causes.



Medical Costs



The cost of providing health care to inmates statewide has averaged $172 million for the last three years. The cost to provide medical care at VSP has averaged $3.7 million for the last three years.



The DOC could not delineate between the costs for health care due to violence and the expense of providing routine medical and dental care.



Mental Health



VSP is one of several prisons in Georgia serving a population of inmates classified as Mental Health or Level II and above, with Valdosta housing the largest population statewide.



Approximately half of the inmates at VSP are classified at Level II and above.



Average annual mental health expenses for Georgia for the last three years is $28 million and for Valdosta, the cost is $1.6 million. The costs include special services provided to this segment of the prison population that are not strictly medical in nature.



In summation, the Valdosta State Prison holds an inmate population that is dominated by violent offenders serving long-term sentences, with one of every two inmates in the prison classified as Mental Health Level II or above.



While the Department of Corrections report is enlightening, it does not address the specific reports of violent acts in the prison. The Times is filing a third Open Records request to obtain additional information regarding the violence.