The ACLU of Georgia has released a new report examining the causes and consequences of overcrowding at the Fulton County Jail. It's a crisis that has fueled serious public health and safety failures. Since 2021, 32 people have died in county custody from suicide, violence, and neglect.
The report shows that Fulton County has lost important ground on keeping people out of jail for low-level charges. In 2023, only 3% of the jail population was held on misdemeanor charges alone. By 2025, that figure had ballooned to 17.7% — nearly six times higher. This reversal is a major driver of the overcrowding crisis.
In 2022 and 2023, the ACLU of Georgia released reports documenting persistent and dangerous overcrowding at the Fulton County Jail. Those reports detailed systemic failures that left people detained in unsafe, inhumane conditions for prolonged periods of time.
This newly released third report builds on earlier findings, providing an updated analysis of the jail population and identifying key drivers of overcrowding, including the underuse of diversion programs, income-based detention, the jailing of people charged with misdemeanors, and delayed indictments. Importantly, it lays out clear, actionable steps for prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement to reduce the jail population and save lives.
You can read the full 2025 report here. View photos from our press conference announcing the release of the report below.
