Fulton Courts merge programs

ATLANTA – The pretrial release supervision programs of the Fulton County Superior and State Courts will be combined in what Court officials call the beginning of a new era of cooperation and efficiency.

Approved Wednesday by Fulton County Commissioners the merger combines offices that supervised misdemeanor and felony defendants. It was a measure promised by Court leaders earlier this year to increase the efficiency of court operations in the face of ongoing budget constraints.

“This change ushers in a new era of cooperation between State and Superior Courts of sharing services to increase the efficiency of both Courts,” said Chief Superior Court Judge Cynthia Wright who became Chief Judge in May.

State Court Chief Judge Patsy Porter, who also took office this year, agreed that the merger is “a good opportunity to work together as a court system; to show that we are on the same team.”

A committee of State Court judges Susan B. Forsling, Susan E. Edlein and Fred C. Eady worked with State Court staff to hammer out the details of the transfer, Judge Porter said. She praised the “invaluable” service of State Court staff members Mark Harper, Valerie Jordan and Adelaide Wilder in preparing for the transfer of the misdemeanor pretrial release and supervision to Superior Court.

Current State Court pretrial office employees will become Superior Court employees under the agreement, said Superior Court Administrator Yolanda Lewis. No jobs will be eliminated during the transition and combining operations will provide an opportunity to evaluate and improve efficiencies with both programs, Lewis said.

Pretrial Services officers provide neutral, non-adversarial and verified information to judges, defense attorneys, and the prosecutors for use in determining whether to grant bond at a defendant’s initial court appearance and any subsequent hearings where bond and or conditions of release are being determined.

Supervision officers conduct drug testing of defendants to determine the prevalence of drug addiction in the jail population and provide initial screening for addiction and or mental illness to determine which defendants may be appropriately referred to Drug or Mental Health Court.

Working around the clock seven days a week Superior Court Pretrial Services screened 14,220 felony defendants in 2009. Of that total, judges assigned 4,435 defendants to the supervised release program.

Defendants in the supervised release program are much more likely to appear in court and avoid further arrests. In 2009, 97 percent of defendants released to Pretrial supervision attended all scheduled court hearings while avoiding new criminal charges.

The Superior and State Courts of Fulton County are Georgia’s largest and busiest trial courts.

Learn more about the Superior Court on Facebook and follow Court developments on twitter. You can also access information about Superior and State Court programs on the internet at www.fultoncourt.org.

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Court Security Projects Funded

On Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010 the Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to include major improvements to the security of Fulton Courts in a federal bond issue.
The 5-2 vote capped two weeks of negotiations between county and judicial leaders to reinstate $5.4 million in previously approved projects to improve security at the county's Juvenile Court and create a state-of-the-art security command center in the Fulton Court Complex.
The security changes were among improvements a Governor's Commission on Court Security recommended in 2006 following a shooting spree at the Fulton Court Complex in which a Superior Court Judge, court reporter and Deputy were killed by an escaping defendant in a rape case.

The $26 million bond project also includes lighting, building maintenance and roof replacement of a senior center. Other items approved Wednesday include a job training center near the Fulton County jail, a prisoner reentry center for prisoners coming out of Georgia prisons, an arts center roof replacement, and bus stop lighting and street security cameras. A health center would be renovated to increase services and the aviation community center at the county's airport in the Fulton Industrial Boulevard area.

A Last-minute Proposal to Strip Security Funding Postponed By Fulton Commission

ATLANTA -- Fulton County Commissioners on Wednesday stopped short of stripping some $5.4 million in security improvements recommended after a post-shooting review of the Fulton Courts Complex in 2005.

The commission received a recommendation Tuesday to redirect some of the funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to building an aviation community center at Charlie Brown Airport in the Fulton Industrial Boulevard district.

A study lead by the U.S. Marshal's Office after a deadly March 11, 2005 shooting in the Fulton Court Complex in which a judge, court reporter and deputy were killed and a second deputy was gravely injured urged Fulton to bring its security umbrella up to current standards for large court complexes. The primary improvement recommended was a command center to monitor the nearly 1-million-square-foot facility that is visited by thousands daily.

The commission decided to postpone a vote on the change County Manager Zachary Williams said resulted from conversations with city officials who must authorize the county to spend the funds within the city limits.

County Attorney David Ware said commissioners are within their legal rights in changing the list of items prior to finalizing the bond approval.

The $26 million project list includes lighting, building maintenance and roof replacement of a senior center. Other items recommended Wednesday include a job training center near the Fulton County jail, a prisoner reentry center for prisoners coming out of Georgia prisons, an arts center roof replacement, and bus stop lighting and security cameras. A health center would be renovated to increase services and the aviation community center at the county's airport in the Fulton Industrial Boulevard area.

 Atlanta officials will consider the county's plan on Aug. 16. Commissioners will vote on projects Aug. 18 and a final list must be submitted to state officials by Aug. 31, Williams said.

New Issue of Jury Newsletter Available Online

August 2010 Jury Matters Newsletter

The current issue of Jury Matters includes profiles of two Fulton County Superior Court judges and the Clerk of Superior Court, plus tips on navigating family law issues and an update on how social media are adding to concerns about fair trials.

The quarterly newsletter also has information on staying comfortable and keeping up with business demands during jury service. And a regular feature, our Service feedback form helps the Court maintain top customer service for those who provide a vital public service.

Download a copy and learn more about the judicial branch and how jurors preserve our democratic system of government.

Chief Judge Corrects The Record

Thursday, 17 June 2010 08:55
By Don Plummer

On Wednesday Chief Judge Cynthia Wright corrected several mischaracterizations of the status of cases being heard by the Superior Court of Fulton County.

During an interview on WSB TV Chief Judge Wright said the recent dismissal of a murder case due to the length of time it had been pending was because of the specific facts in that case.

“The length of time a case is pending does not necessarily require dismissal because cases can grow old due to a variety of reasons, including incompetency to stand trial, appeals, motions and other case-related issues,” Chief Judge Wright said.

In fact, Judge Wright said, the Fulton Superior Court has continued to make significant progress in reducing the number of pending murder cases by completing 57 cases since January, leaving the Court with a total of 179 active murder cases.

Overall, felony caseloads have been reduced in the past four years, Judge Wright said.

One reason for the reduction: the Court instituted a Felony Fast-Track case-management program.

This joint effort of the Court, the Fulton District Attorney, and Fulton Public Defender deals with all nonviolent drug and property crimes – which comprise more than 70 percent of all felony indictments in Fulton - in nine weeks from arrest to conclusion. And, less than 1 percent of those cases require trial, further saving court time and tax dollars. Since Felony Fast-Track began in 2006, the court’s inventory of these type cases has been reduced by 40 percent.

A new pilot project agreed to by the DA and Public Defender will expand the rigid case management standards of Felony Fast-Track to new felony cases has been in development for several months, Wright said.

The case management plan was the result of a two-day seminar last fall organized by the Court and led by national case management experts. The seminar, attended by the Fulton County District Attorney, Fulton’s Public Defender, Superior Court Judges, Clerk of Court and members of their respective staffs, led to creation of the case management plan being implemented.

The plan will include 10 of the Court’s 20 judges and will operate under a memorandum of understanding agreed to by the District Attorney, Public Defender and other justice system partners. Under the expanded case standards plan murder and other serious violent felonies will be concluded within 48 weeks of indictment. All other crimes against persons felonies will be processed within 36 weeks of Indictment, Wright said.

The Fulton judicial system does face challenges due to a lack of funding that affects every agency, Wright said. A new unified computer system, a 10-year campaign that was approved this year, will go a long way toward streamlining the state’s largest judicial system, but more has to be done to bring the system up to the demands of civil and criminal cases, she said.

More money must be allocated for all justice agencies so they have adequate staff to process the large volume of civil and criminal cases in Fulton, she said.

The Superior Court must not focus exclusively on criminal cases because the Court has other Constitutionally mandated obligations to process civil cases, including domestic litigation involving families and children, Wright said.

Balancing those multiple responsibilities and increasing coordination with other justice agencies to achieve maximum efficiency is a goal that Wright has set for her two-year term as Chief Judge.

Celebrate Law Day 2010 at Piedmont Park

Bring the family and join the fun at Piedmont Park on Saturday, April 10 as the annual Law Day public celebration kicks off with a 5K race, followed by music, art, food and an all-American good time at the park.

The day begins with the 10th annual Legal Runaround, a 5K race, walk and tot trot benefiting the Atlanta Bar Foundation. Pets and strollers welcome. Registration begins at 7:30a.m. Preregistration is $15 if received by April 8. $20 if received after April 8. For registration information, call 404-832-6210 or email saponte@atlantabar.org.

After the race relax at the park’s Main Pavilion. Enjoy music, a kid’s art contest, snow cones, popcorn, cotton candy and other treats. Tour law-related booths and get a close-up look at equipment exhibits by the Atlanta Police Department and other public safety agencies.

In addition to cool give-a-ways, Fulton Emergency Management will have a 9-1-1 simulator of their actual computer-aided dispatch equipment, a display board with important tips about dialing 9-1-1 and a safety video.

And don’t miss the highlight of Law Day: recognition of outstanding public safety officers and court employees, including the Liberty Bell Award, Fulton County Court Employee of the Year, Peace Officer of the Year and prizes for the winners of the kid’s art contest.

Law Day has been observed since 1950 as an opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the rule of law and the foundations of our legal system. It’s a time to celebrate the rich history of our judicial system and a time to consider its future in this rapidly changing world.

Law Day 2010 is sponsored by: The Fulton County Courts, The Atlanta Bar Foundation, The Atlanta Police Department, The Multi-Bar Leadership Council, King & Spalding, Weinstock and Scavo, P.C., ALSTON + BIRD, LLP, FELLOWS LaBRIOLA, Hawkins & Parnell, LLP.



Law Day 2010

Who: Everyone is welcome

What: A Public Celebration of Law Day 2010

Where: Work Progress Administration (WPA) Picnic Shelter, Piedmont Park

When: 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Why: Because each of us benefits from a nation ruled by law



Directions to the WPA Picnic Shelter: http://www.piedmontpark.org/do/picnic.html

Click on the map to locate the shelter within the park.

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

Judicial Leaders Work Until Last Minute to Save Public Safety Improvements from Fulton Budget Axe

Leaders of the Fulton County Georgia judicial system on Tuesday continued their effort to get county officials to restore $4.2 million cut from the system’s 2010 budget. The cuts include $2.4 million in operating costs and $1.8 million in staff vacancies for the Superior Court, Clerk of Superior Court, District Attorney, Public Defender, State, Probate and Juvenile courts, Solicitor General and Marshal’s office.

If these cuts are restored judicial system leaders told county officials they will be able to:

• Continue the Fast Track felony case management system that has cut the time it takes to complete non-violent property and drug cases to just 45 days.

• Continue the current number of participants in the county’s successful Drug and Mental Health Courts.

• Continue the highly effective, cost-saving pretrial supervision program that gets 97 percent of felony defendants to all court hearings without new charges.

• Continue a new intensive pretrial supervision program that reduced jail expenses by $3.5 million from April through December 2009.

• Prepare for a major anticipated increase in criminal cases from hundreds of new Atlanta Police Officers being hired through a federal COPS Grant.

• Drastically reduce the Fulton Jail population by July 1, 2010.

• Prepare a plan to increase revenues and collections from fines and fees.

• Prepare a plan to consolidate duplicative judicial system offices.

The Fulton justice system cannot control its incoming “inventory” of murder, rape, robbery and burglary cases so justice system leaders must be allowed to continue programs that out-produce the offending population to keep the county safe.

Judicial system leaders are working together to coordinate prevention, protection, restoration, correction and punishment efforts but cuts prevent them from keeping up with incoming cases, much less the increase anticipated from deploying additional Atlanta Police Officers.

Judicial leaders say restoring these funds will produce immediate savings by reducing the number of defendants in the county jail.

Failing to adequately fund the judicial system will swell the county’s jail population, greatly increasing the cost to taxpayers for housing, feeding and caring for pretrial defendants.

Key Points of the Judicial System Plan to enhance public safety and increase access to justice for families, children and businesses.

• Fast Track Felony Case Processing

• Pretrial Release Supervision

• Jail Population Reduction Plan

• Elimination of Duplicated Services

• Increased Fee and Fine Revenue

Citizens Voice Opposition to Fulton Judicial System Cuts

  Jan. 6, 2010 -- Hundreds of concerned Fulton County residents who braved freezing temperatures packed this week's Fulton Commission meeting to show support for full funding of the county's judicial system.
  Concerned residents told commissioners that cutting any part of the system which includes courts, prosecutors, public defenders, court clerks and the county sheriff  would cripple an already overburdened system.

  Concern over proposed budget cuts in the cash-strapped county has been growing since mid-November when county managers notified judicial leaders that they might loose 24 percent of their budgets.

  Fulton's Chief Judge and District Attorney said that such massive cuts would mean they would have to make drastic staff cuts leaving their offices unable to process the more than 30,000 cases filed in Fulton Superior Court each year.

  Chief Judge Doris L. Downs, speaking for members of the judicial system, said with that level of reduction "the results would be disastrous. [and] ... would also, in our opinion, raise serious questions regarding public safety."

  In December commissioners approved a tentative budget that would reduce cuts to the judicial system to some 10 percent. But even that level of reduced spending on justice would erode the courts ability to maintain cost-saving programs that now supervise some 1700 defendants in Drug and Mental Health courts and through pretrial release supervision, forcing more defendants back into the already overflowing county jail.

  Those who spoke Wednesday, including Chief Judge Downs, Chief Judge-elect Cynthia Wright and others who are involved in providing services to the judicial system, said that there are better ways to balance the budget that to slow processing of criminal cases that will only add to jail overcrowding and more than offset any savings.

  County officials and judicial leaders continue to meet and share ideas for reducing costs without endangering the public and reducing access to justice for families, children and Fulton businesses. One idea presented to county leaders is a full-court press to process criminal cases that judicial leaders say could cut the jail population in half by July. That would greatly reduce expenses for housing, feeding, and providing medical care for inmates in the jail which now must rent space in other county jails because it is overflowing.

  Fulton County’s judicial system is the state’s largest and busiest. It is also the place where all lawsuits brought against any state government function are decided, so any reduction in its capacity to function will have statewide consequences.

  A final vote on the 2010 Fulton County budget will be held Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. in the Fulton Commission Assembly Hall, 141 Pryor St., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

  Anyone interested in voicing support for the judicial system budget who cannot attend the Jan. 20 meeting may sign an electronic petition at: http://bit.ly/KeepCourtsOpen.

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.

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Keep up to date on official Fulton Superior Court news at: http://fultoncourtinfo.blogspot.com/

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.

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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Think This Can't Happen?

The Fulton County Justice System is under enormous stress to process tens of thousands of criminal and civil cases with its current employees and judges.
Criminal prosecutions and civil litigation will be delayed even further if hundreds of Justice System employees and staff are laid off as a result of further budget cuts.
The county’s latest budget proposal calls for 10 percent across the board cuts in addition to prior reductions in state and county support for the Justice System. But that approach just doesn’t add up.

Here are some examples that show reducing or eliminating court programs that safely remove defendants from the overcrowded Fulton Jail will only add to the budget:

Jailing pretrial defendants: Daily Cost - $72 x 1,300 = $93,600.
Supervised pretrial release: Daily Cost - $5 x 1,300 = $  6,500.
Daily saving:                                                          $87,100.

Jailing pretrial defendants: Daily Cost - $72 x 500 =  $36,000.
Drug/Mental Health Court: Daily Cost -  $23 x    500 = $11,500.
Daily saving:                                                           $24,500.

What You Can Do: