Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and criminal justice advocates are calling for Sheriff Patrick Labat’s new misdemeanor jail booking policy to take effect sooner than July 1. The change, they said, is needed to address overcrowding at the Rice Street jail and prevent vulnerable people from unnecessarily entering the system.
An additional factor is that the World Cup arrives in Atlanta on June 11.
A Thursday press conference at the Fulton County Government Center was held in response to Labat’s announcement that misdemeanor bookings will no longer take place at the jail beginning July 1.
Pitts said he plans to meet with Labat to discuss whether the policy could be implemented earlier.
Last week, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution requesting that the sheriff begin declining certain misdemeanor bookings to reduce overcrowding at the jail and reserve space for more serious offenders.
While Pitts said he could not confirm whether the policy would become permanent, he expressed support for the possibility.
“My hope is that if it’s successful, and I have every reason to believe it will be successful, I would like to see it become a permanent policy within Fulton County, Georgia,” Pitts said.
Advocates who joined Pitts on Thursday said they will closely monitor how the policy is enforced.
“We cannot allow this moment to become a shell game where low-level misdemeanor charges suddenly become inflated to felony charges simply to get around this new policy,” said Devin Barrington-Ward, managing director of the Black Futurists Group.
Moki Macias, executive director of Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative, known as PAD, said that while officials are focused on how visitors may be impacted during the World Cup, local residents struggling with mental health, addiction and housing instability must also remain a priority.
“We agree that it’s very important… [to] have this policy instituted tomorrow so that we can avoid people getting swept up into the jail simply to hide them from World Cup visitors,” Macias said.
She added that officials should also consider individuals already incarcerated on misdemeanor charges that could potentially be handled outside the jail system.
PAD is part of Atlanta’s diversion network. However, Macias said PAD is currently unable to accept new referrals from the Center for Diversion and Services because of unresolved contract funding issues.
According to Pitts, PAD’s contract is jointly funded by Fulton County and the City of Atlanta at $5 million. He said he expects to receive a briefing soon regarding why the contract has not yet been finalized.
Macias said PAD’s funding expired at the end of March, although the contract itself ended in December. Despite the lapse, she said PAD continues providing case management services to more than 150 existing clients.
“Success depends on whether it is a doorway to long-term support services, housing navigation, behavioral health, or if it’s a revolving door,” Macias said.
Why not skip ahead and do away with all the misdemeanor laws? No enforcement = more crime.
Sorry if you are drug addicted or mentally ill but if you come on my property to have sex for money, brandish a knife and threaten to burn my house down there should be some kind of serious punishment.
Pitt’s plan and the lack of funding for law enforcement will result in more crimes and we know that serious criminals start as minor criminals.
This kind of fail by city government is why the democrats keep struggling to win even against the most belligerent and corrupt opponents.
Councilmember Kelsea Bond uses they/they pronouns just fyi
don’t look now, rob, but ain’t gonna be no crime import – our homegrown thugs are world class (cue Marta brawl videos)