ATLANTA— Following a report released today by the Justice Department from its investigation of conditions at the Fulton County Jail, the ACLU of Georgia releases the following statement:
“The Justice Department confirms that Fulton County’s overburdened criminal system puts incarcerated people’s lives at risk and does not improve public safety. There are better alternatives to detaining people for non-violent offenses,” said Andrea Young, executive director, ACLU of Georgia. “We hope this report, calling out the unconstitutional conditions at Fulton County Jail, will finally push officials to use practical solutions such as speedy bond hearings, setting feasible bond amounts, and releasing people held for misdemeanor charges. We implore the Fulton County Commission to help improve jail conditions by funding and expanding Atlanta’s Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative.”
The ACLU of Georgia offered solutions to the overcrowding at Fulton County Jail in these reports:
Breaking the Cycle: Exploring Alternatives to a New Jail, 2023
There are Better Solutions: An Analysis of Fulton County’s Jail Population Data, 2022
