FULTON COUNTY, GA — A new independent monitor’s report is calling staffing shortages at the Fulton County Jail a “major crisis,” warning that the lack of jail workers is creating dangerous conditions for inmates and staff.
The report, which is part of an agreement with the Department of Justice to address safety concerns, found that nearly half of all day-shift positions at the jail remain vacant, while staffing for the night shift is even worse with about 60 percent of positions unfilled.
The monitor wrote that the shortages pose “serious safety risks” across the facility, with most floors staffed by just one deputy or detention officer responsible for managing around 200 inmates.
Former jailer Laquandria Pearce described her experience before Fulton County commissioners, saying, “Imagine being a female officer managing a floor with 200 inmates by yourself, that was our reality.”
Former jailer Kevin Jones also criticized the environment, telling commissioners, “Officers on the floor do their best but are overworked, unsupported and afraid. Leadership meanwhile, collect paychecks while cells remain broken and taxpayer money is wasted.”
The findings come after two inmates were injured in a violent fight over the weekend. One was treated at the jail, while the other was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.
In response to ongoing concerns about the Rice Street facility, Fulton County commissioners recently approved a billion-dollar plan to build a new special purpose facility and renovate the current jail. However, the independent monitor stressed that construction does not address the immediate staffing crisis and urged the county to spend the next six months focusing on filling positions, improving the inmate classification system, and addressing other urgent issues.
WSB’s Austin Eller contributed to this story