Tale of Two Jails

Atlanta's got two jails: a County one and a City one. What does a new intergovernmental agreement mean for each jail and for justice?

Fulton County's primary jail is filled beyond its capacity with detainees, due in part to the pandemic's impact on the court system. A feasibility study for a new jail is underway, but it would also be hundreds of millions of dollars and many years away.

Atlanta's detention center is nearly empty following years of community-led criminal justice reform efforts such as the decriminalization of some minor offenses and the elimination of cash bail. Work is underway to transform the building into a Center for Diversion and Services.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta City Council and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners have recently adopted an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that would allow the County to lease up to 700 beds at the Atlanta City Detention Center for up to 4 years to relieve overcrowding at the County jail.

Join the Center for Civic Innovation and our civic media partners as we discuss with County and City officials and community and grassroots leaders how we got where we are, what the current situation means for local residents, what solutions are going forward, and what to expect in the short- and long-term for the County's jail and the City's detention center.

Sign up, show up, and bring plenty of questions for the panelists.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Central Library
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

This program content is neither sponsored, nor endorsed, nor approved by the Fulton County Library System or Fulton County Government.

Jail Census Information Presentation

Commissioner Hall Presentation