Justice Department says jail conditions in Georgia’s Fulton County violate detainee rights

Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Justice Department officials said jail officials in Georgia’s most populous county violate the constitutional rights of people in their custody by failing to protect them from violence, using excessive force and holding them in filthy and unsafe conditions. In a report released Thursday, federal officials said vulnerable populations are particularly at risk from this violence which causes both physical injury and long-lasting trauma. The Justice Department offered remedial actions local officials can take to address the problems. Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat has consistently raised concerns about overcrowding, dilapidated infrastructure and staffing shortages at county lockups and pushed to build a new main jail.