A task force says Fulton County should seek private funding for social services and find alternatives to jailing criminals to reduce the hundreds of millions of dollars taxpayers spend on criminal justice.
The county’s Smart Justice Advisory Council Tuesday released its findings after spending a year looking for ways Fulton can save money on its jail, courts and other costs of handling crime. Among its recommendations:
*An online database of counseling and other services that prosecutors, judges, families and others can use to get criminals help that could help prevent them from reoffending.
*Private funding of social services to reduce crime. The task forces cited a fledgling New York City program that allows the government to issue bonds to pay for programs and to repay the debt with money saved by reducing jail costs.
*Pre-arrest diversionary programs. Under such programs, police would refer some offenders to community supervision and social services instead of arresting them. Seattle, Memphis, Birmingham and Knoxville have launched similar programs.
*“Restorative justice programs,” in which offenders attempt to rectify the problems they have caused their victims. Such programs provide an alternative to incarceration for some offenders, freeing up courts and jail space for hardened criminals.
Fulton County expects to spend about $244 million this year on its jail, courts, the district attorney’s office and the rest of its criminal justice system. That’s nearly 40 percent of its general fund budget, which also pays for other countywide services like libraries, elections and social services.
County Commission Chairman John Eaves appointed the task force last year amid concerns the rising cost of criminal justice was consuming resources that could be spent elsewhere. The task force consists of judges, jailers, attorneys, educators and others with a stake in the issue.
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