Fulton County Jail is overcrowded ... again

ATLANTA — Georgia's Fulton County Jail is overcrowded once again, with more than 500 inmates over capacity.

According to our news exchange partners at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and AJC.com, an estimated 180 inmates have to sleep on floor mattresses in an open area.

Chief Jailer Mark Adger said the jail has room for 2,500 inmates but is holding more than 3,000.

About a third of them are from Atlanta, which closed its detention center after eliminating cash bonds for poor and nonviolent offenders. More such defendants end up in county jails after missing court dates.

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The county is considering seeking an injunction to stop the city from sending it more inmates.

The county also is holding more inmates for longer after some were released and accused of committing more crimes.

County Manager Dick Anderson said 380 inmates have been awaiting trial for more than a year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Associated Press