Fulton County commissioners will hear a set of goals Wednesday that are meant to lead to reform in the justice system.
The proposal, supported by the sheriff and court officials who studied the county's system, is so far short on specifics so that court officials can have control over changes.
Its goals include better treatment of people with mental health issues, who make up a significant part of the jail population; the introduction of case management standards to move cases through more quickly; and a reduction of the jail population.
The proposal also calls for addressing ways to decrease the number of people who re-offend after they are arrested and for the justice system to become more cost effective.
County Manager Dick Anderson estimated Fulton County could save between $4 and $8 million by lowering the jail population by up to 750 inmates — the average daily population for July was between 2,500 and 2,575 — and by streamlining the courts by consolidating clerking and filing functions, for example.
If the board of commissioners allows it, that money would then go into initiatives to improve the system.
The proposal also calls for people with mental illnesses to “receive humane and appropriate treatment to address their condition” while also maintaining public safety.
The county has already taken some early steps to change the system, with the April decision to outsource mental health services. Under the new system, leaders hope, medical records will be shared more readily. With about 40 percent of the jail population receiving mental health care, improvements to the system could help reduce recidivism and keep people who leave the jail connected to care.
Some ideas that have been considered to quickly reduce the jail population include a surge of retired judges who would help move backlogged cases through. After that, new expectations for how long different types of cases should take to get through the system could help set standards to move cases.
“We haven’t had case management standards before,” said Anna Roach, the county’s chief strategy officer. With them, she said, the county “won’t have prolonged inmate stays in jail.”
Commission Chairman John Eaves has called the justice initiative a top priority, saying that the improvements are complicated, but exciting.
The complications stem from a dispute between commissioners and the elected judges, district attorney and others. At the beginning of the year, commissioners took money out of those departments' budgets to fund the reforms. They have since returned it, after court officials claimed programs that were accomplishing some of Eaves' goals would have to be cut because of a lack of funds.
“The conversation is evolving,” Roach said. “At the end of the day, we’ll get to the measures. I think there are always going to be difficulties about how to get there.”
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