ATLANTA — Today, the ACLU of Georgia sent a letter to Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen imploring him to address inhumane and unconstitutional conditions at the Clayton County jail. The civil liberties and civil rights organization said it received numerous complaints about conditions at the jail, prompting attorneys to write the letter.
Too many people awaiting trial languish in Georgia’s jails and Clayton County is no exception. Deplorable conditions at the jail include moldy and unsanitary clothing, mattresses, and rooms; people sleeping on dirty floors; substandard medical care; contaminated water; and insect infestations. Staffing failures have led to violent attacks. Many more problems are outlined in the letter.
Many of the people in Georgia’s jails have a mental illness or substance abuse disorder, or are being held simply because they cannot afford a place to live or pay bond.
“Conditions in the Clayton County Jail are inhumane and blatantly unconstitutional, and all eligible individuals should be released immediately,” said Akiva Freidlin, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Georgia. “Nobody should be subjected to such a dangerous and disgusting environment. Sheriff Allen must move urgently to improve conditions.”
The letter asks the sheriff to take immediate action and gives him a deadline of November 14, 2025, to reply to the ACLU Of Georgia.
You can read the letter here.
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