ACLU warns of deadly overcrowding at Fulton County Jail
ACLU details deadly impact of overcrowding at Fulton Co. jail
The ACLU held a press conference on Tuesday morning to talk about overcrowding at the Fulton County Jail, which they said has lead to deadly consequences. Aungelique Proctor reporting.
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The ACLU of Georgia is calling conditions inside the Fulton County Jail inhumane and dangerous, citing chronic overcrowding and dozens of deaths in custody since 2021 in a new report released at midday.
What they're saying:
The report, the group’s third focused on the Rice Street jail, examines conditions in 2025 and says the jail population rose about 20% during the first seven months of last year, while four people died in custody during that same period.
The ACLU argues overcrowding is the core driver of the crisis, noting that Black people remain significantly overrepresented and that a growing share of detainees are held on misdemeanor charges, often for weeks or months, because they cannot afford even minimal bond.
Advocacy groups, including the Community Over Cages Coalition and PlayFair Atlanta, are urging systemic changes involving police, prosecutors and judges to reduce incarceration.
They also raised concerns ahead of the FIFA World Cup, warning that visitors could be exposed to what they described as unsafe jail conditions. Sheriff Patrick Labat has previously said a new jail facility is needed, though funding for one has not been approved.
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