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Atlanta City Jail could soon be used to house Fulton County inmates

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Published  August 2, 2022 10:41pm EDT
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Atlanta will lease space at city jail to ease 'overcrowding' at Fulton County Jail

Atlanta city officials are working to lessen the issue of overcrowding in the Fulton County Jail that has caused circumstances for inmates such as "sleeping on the floor in plastic doggy trays."

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens will let Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat use 700 beds to house jail inmates.

Currently, the county is bussing overflow inmates to other jurisdictions to lessen overcrowding at the Rice Street jail. 

Moving the inmates is necessary in order to keep from placing defendants in plastic doggy trays on the floor.

The Atlanta City Jail is doing little business, but still must maintain staffing throughout the towers.

The terms for the city-county proposed lease calls for the county to pay Atlanta $50 per detainee for each night, plus a percentage of the facility commissary fees.

The Atlanta City Council and the Fulton County Commission will each have to sign off on the agreement.

Mayor Dickens plans to make the bed space available for up to four years before converting the space for human services programs.