The judges of the Superior Court of Fulton County have approved a final budget for 2010 that is $984,090 less than 2009 expenditures. The $24.3 million 2010 Superior Court budget does not include reductions in Court progerams, nor staff layoffs, said Court Administrator Judy Cramer.
"We will be tightening our belts throughout the courthouse," Ms. Cramer said. "But due to the excellent work of our business office we will not lose any employees."
Among the cost-saving measures employed to reduce this year's budget are not filling open positions and postponing the hiring of the support staff for the Court's 20th judge named in November by Gov. Perdue. Other savings in operating costs include savings on postage for juror summons, calling fewer prospective jurors, and tighter purchasing controls.
But the most important actions were those taken to avoid massive cuts that threatened to cripple the county's judicial system.
In November Fulton County officials notified the Superior Court that its 2010 budget would be reduced by $5.2 million from the 2009 budget of $24.5 million. Chief Judge Doris L. Downs said such a drastic cut would threaten public safety.
Her warning, echoed by Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard and other elected judicial officials, set off a public outcry aganst such cuts at subsequent Fulton Commission meetings that steadily mounted until Jan. 20 when Fulton Commissioners approved a Court budget that is approximately $1 million less than the prior year.
"While we were cut almost $1 million from last year after having five positions eliminated at mid-year 2009, we have adjusted and will continue to provide good public service," Cramer said in announcing the cuts to staff.
"Thanks to all of you for your patience and support during the period of budget uncertainty we experienced in 2009."
Showing posts with label Downs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Downs. Show all posts
Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thank You!
Thank you to the hundreds who signed the Court’s petition to save the Fulton Justice System and to those who stood before the Fulton County Commission to urge full funding of vital public safety and judicial services.
On Wednesday Jan. 20, 2010 Fulton Commissioners reinstated $1.3 million to Justice System agencies and court programs.
Among the funds restored to the 2010 budget on Wednesday is $150,000.00 for Drug Court, $800,000.00 to Pretrial Services for State and Superior Courts and $426,000.00 for the Circuit Public Defender’s office.
While there are cuts to the 2010 Justice System budget they are much less than what they would have if each of you had not added your voice to those who stood up for programs that make Fulton a safer county.
Doris L. Downs
Chief Judge
Superior Court of Fulton County
On Wednesday Jan. 20, 2010 Fulton Commissioners reinstated $1.3 million to Justice System agencies and court programs.
Among the funds restored to the 2010 budget on Wednesday is $150,000.00 for Drug Court, $800,000.00 to Pretrial Services for State and Superior Courts and $426,000.00 for the Circuit Public Defender’s office.
While there are cuts to the 2010 Justice System budget they are much less than what they would have if each of you had not added your voice to those who stood up for programs that make Fulton a safer county.
Doris L. Downs
Chief Judge
Superior Court of Fulton County
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Fulton County budget cuts may add to county expenses
Fulton County Commissioners on Wednesday are set to adopt a budget for 2010 that may cut cost-saving programs that will add to overall expenses for the county, according to Fulton’s Chief Judge.
A 10 percent across-the-board cut on top of a 4 percent employee pay decrease tentatively approved by Commissioner in December will force reductions or elimination of diversion programs that will funnel more than 1,000 defendants back into the county’s already overcrowded jail, said Chief Fulton Superior Court Judge Doris L. Downs.
“If we must eliminate or drastically reduce our Drug and Mental Health Courts and our supervised pretrial release programs we cannot allow the defendants in these programs to remain on the street unsupervised,” Downs said Monday during a meeting of program administrators. Up to 30 Superior Court employees could be fired to meet the county goal, she said. Other equally large numbers of employees could be fired from the District Attorney, Public Defender and Clerk of Court.
Upwards of 1700 defendants are currently supervised by these programs at a drastically lower cost per day than incarceration in the county jail. For example, defendants on supervised pretrial release cost the county $5 a day. Drug and Mental Health Court defendants are supervised for $23 a day. Jailing inmates costs a minimum of $72 a day.
Superior Court Administrator Judy Cramer said every cost saving effort has already been taken and all that’s left to cut are jobs.
“Wednesday is the last chance for the Commission to take into account the true impact of cuts of this magnitude,” Cramer said. Layoff letters are being readied in case the Commission holds fast to the 10-percent cuts. “We must deliver the letters by Monday in order for our employees to have time to explore other positions within the county and receive assistance from human resources with filing for unemployment and other benefits,” she said.
Downs and Cramer have met with individual commissioners and county executives and laid out an alternative plan that would cut the jail population in half by July, but that plan requires funding the judicial system at its current level. The extra personnel to process additional cases would be paid for by an existing federal stimulus grant received by the court last year, Downs said.
Keep up to date on official Fulton Superior Court news at: http://fultoncourtinfo.blogspot.com/
A 10 percent across-the-board cut on top of a 4 percent employee pay decrease tentatively approved by Commissioner in December will force reductions or elimination of diversion programs that will funnel more than 1,000 defendants back into the county’s already overcrowded jail, said Chief Fulton Superior Court Judge Doris L. Downs.
“If we must eliminate or drastically reduce our Drug and Mental Health Courts and our supervised pretrial release programs we cannot allow the defendants in these programs to remain on the street unsupervised,” Downs said Monday during a meeting of program administrators. Up to 30 Superior Court employees could be fired to meet the county goal, she said. Other equally large numbers of employees could be fired from the District Attorney, Public Defender and Clerk of Court.
Upwards of 1700 defendants are currently supervised by these programs at a drastically lower cost per day than incarceration in the county jail. For example, defendants on supervised pretrial release cost the county $5 a day. Drug and Mental Health Court defendants are supervised for $23 a day. Jailing inmates costs a minimum of $72 a day.
Superior Court Administrator Judy Cramer said every cost saving effort has already been taken and all that’s left to cut are jobs.
“Wednesday is the last chance for the Commission to take into account the true impact of cuts of this magnitude,” Cramer said. Layoff letters are being readied in case the Commission holds fast to the 10-percent cuts. “We must deliver the letters by Monday in order for our employees to have time to explore other positions within the county and receive assistance from human resources with filing for unemployment and other benefits,” she said.
Downs and Cramer have met with individual commissioners and county executives and laid out an alternative plan that would cut the jail population in half by July, but that plan requires funding the judicial system at its current level. The extra personnel to process additional cases would be paid for by an existing federal stimulus grant received by the court last year, Downs said.
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Keep up to date on official Fulton Superior Court news at: http://fultoncourtinfo.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Justice Plan Would Slash Jail Population
Faster Case Processing Key to 54 Percent Reduction
ATLANTA – The Chief Judge of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit has proposed that Fulton County Commissioners approve a cost-saving plan that would greatly reduce the population of the overcrowded Fulton County Jail.
“Our strategy is to dramatically reduce the jail population from 2606 (outsourcing and main jail population) to 1200 by July 1st of 2010,” Chief Superior Court Judge Doris L. Downs wrote in an email sent Tuesday to Fulton Commissioners.
The Fulton County Jail, which is under federal court order to reduce the jail’s population to some 2200, is the largest single item in the Fulton County Justice System budget. Each day an inmate is held at the jail costs the county a minimum of $72. The county also must pay to house excess inmates above the court-ordered maximum in other Georgia jails.
Fulton justice system officials were notified on Nov. 18 that their portion of the county’s 2010 budget, which begins Jan. 1, would have to be cut by 25 percent or some $55 million. Chief Judge Downs and Fulton County District Attorney Paul L Howard Jr. and other justice system officials responded by saying that absorbing cuts of that magnitude would devastate each agency individually and have unacceptable systemic repercussions.
On Dec. 9, County budget officials returned with a proposal that the criminal justice system be cut by 11.7% or $25.4 million. Meeting almost daily since then justice system officials fashioned a plan that Judge Downs said will meet the county’s goal, if the justice system is allowed to retain current funding levels.
“We are proposing expediting the processing of the criminal cases in the next 6 months so that the jail population is reduced to 1200 inmates by July 1st of 2010. We believe that this goal is attainable but only if we are able to retain our employees and re-engineer the way we work together,” she wrote. “In short, we are prepared to run a marathon to achieve the savings needed through the jail budget. This is the only way we see to achieve savings without crippling our justice system. We cannot run the marathon without our legs---our employees!”
Fulton Commissioners are expected to consider the justice system proposal at a 10 a.m. Wednesday meeting.
Following is the full text of Chief Judge Down’s letter to Commissioners and the justice system’s jail reduction strategy:
As the Administrative Judge of this State's Fifth Judicial District as well as the Chief Judge of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit, I am proposing on behalf of the Fulton County Justice System that we be allowed to present a plan for achieving the budget cuts required of our justice system. Our plan is attached. Our strategy is to dramatically reduce the jail population from 2606 (outsourcing and main jail population) to 1200 by July 1st of 2010.
We are aware that Fulton County is facing a serious budget shortfall. At present, it is my understanding that all County budgets are facing a cut of approximately 1.7% consisting of the unpaid holidays for all employees in 2010. At present, the justice system partners have been asked to cut an additional 10% from their budgets.
The Clerk of the Superior Court will have to eliminate 33 temporary positions and 18 permanent positions ($1.5 million). The District Attorney will have to eliminate 20 temporary positions and 30 permanent positions OR take 48 furlough days (one day each week) which amounts to a 25% pay cut for all DA employees. ($2.2 million) The Public Defender will have to eliminate 15 positions ($1.57 million).The Superior Court will have to eliminate at least 15 employees and as of yet an undetermined number of additional layoffs. We will lose employees in programs that save the county money such as Pretrial, Drug Court, Mental Health Court ($2.475 million).
As you are aware each of the justice agencies are closely connected in that an impact on any one of our budgets impacts our ability as a whole to move the business. We are truly all part of the same pipeline with no control over the numbers of cases coming in. If the 10 percent cuts are taken from each budget in January of 2010, our ability to process the criminal, domestic and civil cases will be significantly affected. This will no doubt result in a sharp increase in the jail population and a sharp increase in costs to the taxpayer. This will certainly not achieve the savings that are needed in the coming year's budget.
We have been meeting non-stop since we learned of the budget shortfall in order to present a plan that will save the county significant money without dismantling our justice system. We are proposing expediting the processing of the criminal cases in the next 6 months so that the jail population is reduced to 1200 inmates by July 1st of 2010. We believe that this goal is attainable but only if we are able to retain our employees and re-engineer the way we work together. If we are forced to eliminate critical employees, the cost to the County will increase with the resulting increase in the jail population.
In short, we are prepared to run a marathon to achieve the savings needed through the jail budget. This is the only way we see to achieve savings without crippling our justice system. We cannot run the marathon without our legs---our employees! Please carefully consider our proposal. We are continuing to meet to improve the proposal. All of us are available if you should have any questions.
The Fulton County Jail, when built, was widely criticized as being too small for the Fulton County criminal population.
Overcrowding at the jail has led to several lawsuits including the current consent decree.
The inability of the system to dispose of cases has exacerbated the jail overcrowding problem.
The Justice Management Institute, a leading criminal justice system consultant, identified as one of the key elements to lasting system improvement, the need to set goals regarding the Fulton County jail population and composition.
On November 18, 2009, the Fulton County Budget Commission announced that for FY2010 it was expected that current expenditures would drastically exceed expected revenue (-$146 million) requiring an across-the-board 25% reduction in county budgets.
Collectively, the Criminal Justice System was asked to reduce budgetary expenditures by $55 million — translating to 980 positions.
Absorbing cuts of this magnitude would devastate each department individually and have systemic repercussions.
Through exploring other cost-saving mechanisms, the Budget Commission announced on December 9, 2009, the criminal justice system portion of budget reductions would amount to 11.7% or $25.4 million.
This current financial crisis has inspired a willingness among all Fulton County criminal justice agencies to identify systemic ways to save money without adversely impacting individual departments and the criminal justice system.
What follows are the Fulton County Criminal Justice System cost-saving recommendations and strategies.
Remove inmates convicted of state crimes from the Fulton County Jail after a maximum period of ten (10) days.
Eliminate the outsourcing of inmates by February 1, 2010 (savings of $8 million).
Establish jail case processing standards such that each category of inmate has a time frame for housing which cannot be exceeded (see Case Processing Standards).
Implement a Temporary Emergency Court to reduce the jail population by 1,300 inmates by July 1, 2010 (savings of $15 million through food/health contracts and the elimination of vacant positions).
Support the acquisition of the City of Atlanta Jail so that the facility can be used as the initial screening location for defendants and a portion of the facility can be used to create a restitution center where all low-risk Fulton County Jail inmates could be transferred.
Establish a multi-departmental jail reduction team to work with the Sheriff’s staff to monitor the jail population on a daily basis in order to maintain the jail population at 1,200 inmates.
Failure to reduce the jail population as outlined will result in a 10% across-the-board budget reduction for all Fulton County criminal justice agencies beginning July 1, 2010.
Death penalty – 2 years
Maximum Complex Felony Cases – 365 days
Medium Complex Felony Cases – 280 days
Mildly Complex Felony Cases – 120 days
Non Complex Felony Cases – 60 days
Misdemeanor Maximum Complex Violent Cases – 60 days
Misdemeanor Medium Complex Cases – 30 days
All other Misdemeanor cases – 48 hours
Doris (Dee) Downs
Chief Judge, Superior Court
Ted Jackson
Sheriff, Fulton County
Cathelene “Tina” Robinson
Clerk, Superior Court
Paul L. Howard, Jr.
District Attorney
Vernon Pitts
Public Defender
Albert Thompson
Chief Judge, State Court
ATLANTA – The Chief Judge of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit has proposed that Fulton County Commissioners approve a cost-saving plan that would greatly reduce the population of the overcrowded Fulton County Jail.
“Our strategy is to dramatically reduce the jail population from 2606 (outsourcing and main jail population) to 1200 by July 1st of 2010,” Chief Superior Court Judge Doris L. Downs wrote in an email sent Tuesday to Fulton Commissioners.
The Fulton County Jail, which is under federal court order to reduce the jail’s population to some 2200, is the largest single item in the Fulton County Justice System budget. Each day an inmate is held at the jail costs the county a minimum of $72. The county also must pay to house excess inmates above the court-ordered maximum in other Georgia jails.
Fulton justice system officials were notified on Nov. 18 that their portion of the county’s 2010 budget, which begins Jan. 1, would have to be cut by 25 percent or some $55 million. Chief Judge Downs and Fulton County District Attorney Paul L Howard Jr. and other justice system officials responded by saying that absorbing cuts of that magnitude would devastate each agency individually and have unacceptable systemic repercussions.
On Dec. 9, County budget officials returned with a proposal that the criminal justice system be cut by 11.7% or $25.4 million. Meeting almost daily since then justice system officials fashioned a plan that Judge Downs said will meet the county’s goal, if the justice system is allowed to retain current funding levels.
“We are proposing expediting the processing of the criminal cases in the next 6 months so that the jail population is reduced to 1200 inmates by July 1st of 2010. We believe that this goal is attainable but only if we are able to retain our employees and re-engineer the way we work together,” she wrote. “In short, we are prepared to run a marathon to achieve the savings needed through the jail budget. This is the only way we see to achieve savings without crippling our justice system. We cannot run the marathon without our legs---our employees!”
Fulton Commissioners are expected to consider the justice system proposal at a 10 a.m. Wednesday meeting.
Following is the full text of Chief Judge Down’s letter to Commissioners and the justice system’s jail reduction strategy:
As the Administrative Judge of this State's Fifth Judicial District as well as the Chief Judge of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit, I am proposing on behalf of the Fulton County Justice System that we be allowed to present a plan for achieving the budget cuts required of our justice system. Our plan is attached. Our strategy is to dramatically reduce the jail population from 2606 (outsourcing and main jail population) to 1200 by July 1st of 2010.
We are aware that Fulton County is facing a serious budget shortfall. At present, it is my understanding that all County budgets are facing a cut of approximately 1.7% consisting of the unpaid holidays for all employees in 2010. At present, the justice system partners have been asked to cut an additional 10% from their budgets.
The Clerk of the Superior Court will have to eliminate 33 temporary positions and 18 permanent positions ($1.5 million). The District Attorney will have to eliminate 20 temporary positions and 30 permanent positions OR take 48 furlough days (one day each week) which amounts to a 25% pay cut for all DA employees. ($2.2 million) The Public Defender will have to eliminate 15 positions ($1.57 million).The Superior Court will have to eliminate at least 15 employees and as of yet an undetermined number of additional layoffs. We will lose employees in programs that save the county money such as Pretrial, Drug Court, Mental Health Court ($2.475 million).
As you are aware each of the justice agencies are closely connected in that an impact on any one of our budgets impacts our ability as a whole to move the business. We are truly all part of the same pipeline with no control over the numbers of cases coming in. If the 10 percent cuts are taken from each budget in January of 2010, our ability to process the criminal, domestic and civil cases will be significantly affected. This will no doubt result in a sharp increase in the jail population and a sharp increase in costs to the taxpayer. This will certainly not achieve the savings that are needed in the coming year's budget.
We have been meeting non-stop since we learned of the budget shortfall in order to present a plan that will save the county significant money without dismantling our justice system. We are proposing expediting the processing of the criminal cases in the next 6 months so that the jail population is reduced to 1200 inmates by July 1st of 2010. We believe that this goal is attainable but only if we are able to retain our employees and re-engineer the way we work together. If we are forced to eliminate critical employees, the cost to the County will increase with the resulting increase in the jail population.
In short, we are prepared to run a marathon to achieve the savings needed through the jail budget. This is the only way we see to achieve savings without crippling our justice system. We cannot run the marathon without our legs---our employees! Please carefully consider our proposal. We are continuing to meet to improve the proposal. All of us are available if you should have any questions.
Jail Reduction Strategy Guiding Principles
The Fulton County Jail, when built, was widely criticized as being too small for the Fulton County criminal population.
Overcrowding at the jail has led to several lawsuits including the current consent decree.
The inability of the system to dispose of cases has exacerbated the jail overcrowding problem.
The Justice Management Institute, a leading criminal justice system consultant, identified as one of the key elements to lasting system improvement, the need to set goals regarding the Fulton County jail population and composition.
On November 18, 2009, the Fulton County Budget Commission announced that for FY2010 it was expected that current expenditures would drastically exceed expected revenue (-$146 million) requiring an across-the-board 25% reduction in county budgets.
Collectively, the Criminal Justice System was asked to reduce budgetary expenditures by $55 million — translating to 980 positions.
Absorbing cuts of this magnitude would devastate each department individually and have systemic repercussions.
Through exploring other cost-saving mechanisms, the Budget Commission announced on December 9, 2009, the criminal justice system portion of budget reductions would amount to 11.7% or $25.4 million.
This current financial crisis has inspired a willingness among all Fulton County criminal justice agencies to identify systemic ways to save money without adversely impacting individual departments and the criminal justice system.
What follows are the Fulton County Criminal Justice System cost-saving recommendations and strategies.
Jail Reduction Strategy
Remove inmates convicted of state crimes from the Fulton County Jail after a maximum period of ten (10) days.
Eliminate the outsourcing of inmates by February 1, 2010 (savings of $8 million).
Establish jail case processing standards such that each category of inmate has a time frame for housing which cannot be exceeded (see Case Processing Standards).
Implement a Temporary Emergency Court to reduce the jail population by 1,300 inmates by July 1, 2010 (savings of $15 million through food/health contracts and the elimination of vacant positions).
Support the acquisition of the City of Atlanta Jail so that the facility can be used as the initial screening location for defendants and a portion of the facility can be used to create a restitution center where all low-risk Fulton County Jail inmates could be transferred.
Establish a multi-departmental jail reduction team to work with the Sheriff’s staff to monitor the jail population on a daily basis in order to maintain the jail population at 1,200 inmates.
Failure to reduce the jail population as outlined will result in a 10% across-the-board budget reduction for all Fulton County criminal justice agencies beginning July 1, 2010.
Jail Case Processing Standards
Death penalty – 2 years
Maximum Complex Felony Cases – 365 days
Medium Complex Felony Cases – 280 days
Mildly Complex Felony Cases – 120 days
Non Complex Felony Cases – 60 days
Misdemeanor Maximum Complex Violent Cases – 60 days
Misdemeanor Medium Complex Cases – 30 days
All other Misdemeanor cases – 48 hours
Fulton County Criminal Justice Agencies
Doris (Dee) Downs
Chief Judge, Superior Court
Ted Jackson
Sheriff, Fulton County
Cathelene “Tina” Robinson
Clerk, Superior Court
Paul L. Howard, Jr.
District Attorney
Vernon Pitts
Public Defender
Albert Thompson
Chief Judge, State Court
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Fulton County Juvenile Court Associate Judge Bradley Boyd to be Sworn in as Presiding Judge
Superior Court Chief Judge Doris L. Downs will administer the oath of office to Boyd.
Boyd has served as an Associate Judge for Fulton County Juvenile Court since 2006. He is a native of Holmes County in Ohio. Boyd graduated from Goshen College in Goshen, IN., attended Indiana State University’s graduate school and graduated from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law.
Boyd’s experience with juvenile court issues is extensive. His work history includes service as Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Project. Boyd also performed in numerous past roles for the Fulton County Juvenile Court, including probation officer, intake attorney, referee, child advocate, Chief Probation Officer and Director of Management Planning.
In 1993, he joined the office of the Fulton County District Attorney as Senior Assistant District Attorney in Juvenile Court. Before becoming an Associate Judge, Boyd served as Deputy Director for the Juvenile Court Division of the office of the Fulton County Conflict Defender.
Boyd replaces Presiding Judge Sanford Jones who died in a May 15, 2009, plane crash.
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