A new wave of court watchers bear witness across Georgia, where local jails are overflowing

A group of people sit around a table and listen while a person standing talks
Southern Center for Human Rights Public Policy Director Tiffany Roberts gives an introduction to a group attending one of its Justice Watch Georgia trainings on Dec. 13, 2025. (Chamian Cruz/WABE)

As concerns continue over the dangerous conditions inside Georgia’s county jails, a mix of church members, seasoned activists and some who have never been part of any movement are volunteering their time to help keep an eye on the court system.

The Atlanta-based Southern Center for Human Rights, now in its 50th year, is training them after having used court watching as a tool to litigate and advocate for the creation of a statewide public defender system.

Terrica Ganzy, executive director of the Southern Center, said that’s around the time that they started getting more involved with the community, which remains a focus of the organization to this day.