Advocates, attorneys warn council of ongoing harms at Fulton County jail as federal consent decree continues

Speakers at the Feb. 17 Atlanta City Council meeting urged the council to treat the lease of Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) to Fulton County as an unresolved public‑safety and human‑rights problem and to press for urgency in resolving related state and county responsibilities.

Devin Franklin, senior movement policy counsel at the Southern Center for Human Rights, told the council the federal Department of Justice opened an investigation after the Southern Center wrote recommending one. He said the DOJ findings led to a consent decree and at least two years of federal monitoring for Fulton County’s jail system, and that problems persist: “There was a death at Fulton County Jail about two weeks ago that you all have not heard about because it’s not been reported to the news, but we know about it,” Franklin said.

Franklin and other advocates said the leased bed capacity at ACDC has not been maximized — the sheriff lacks sufficient staffing to fill the 700 beds authorized under the lease — and they urged the council to plan for the facility’s return and for stronger local oversight. Franklin said the Southern Center is organizing a “people’s process” to gather input from formerly incarcerated people and others; he invited council members to a legislative listening session scheduled the next day.

Council members acknowledged the problem. Council President Doug Shipman and several councilmembers said they have opposed leasing ACDC to Fulton County from the start and urged conversations with the mayor and staff about the lease drawdown and the city’s responsibility if the county cannot run the facility safely.

Why it matters: The ACDC lease and the DOJ findings implicate city, county and state responsibilities for detention conditions, staffing, and medical care. Advocates said the federal consent decree requires concrete steps and community input to prevent further deaths and to ensure federally mandated reforms are carried out.

What council asked for: Councilmembers said they would pursue conversations about drawdown timelines and hold the county and state accountable for investing in personnel and safety improvements. Councilmember Collins said the city should prepare to get ACDC back if the county cannot meet its obligations.

Ending note: The council heard strong calls for community‑centered remedies and said it would continue to work with advocates, the mayor’s office and state officials to ensure compliance with federal oversight and to protect incarcerated people’s rights.