Atlanta, GA— Sweeping findings from a federal investigation into Fulton County Jail, revealed on Thursday, catalog a grim tableau of systemic failures, constitutive of gross violations of constitutional rights of the incarcerated. The two-year civil rights probe paints a distressing picture of rampant violence, inadequate medical care, and unlivable conditions that have catalyzed numerous deaths.
The investigation, initiated by the Justice Department in July 2023, was spurred by the death of Lashawn Thompson in September 2022. Thompson, who was struggling with mental health issues and was unhoused at the time of his arrest, died under severe neglect in a bedbug-infested cell within the jail’s psychiatric wing, sparking widespread outrage. An independent autopsy later attributed his death to egregious neglect.
Conditions detailed in the 105-page report are dire, highlighting a pattern of excessive force and restricted housing abuses without due process, fundamentally breaching the detainees’ rights. Along with concerns about violence, including more than 300 stabbings reported in the last year and six violent inmate deaths since 2022, the jail is besieged by issues ranging from pest infestations to inadequate food and a lack of sanitary conditions.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned the facility’s conditions, noting, “Detention in the Fulton County Jail has amounted to a death sentence for dozens of people.” Clarke’s statement underscored the particularly dire circumstances faced by incarcerated youths and those with mental health issues, who are overrepresented in the jail population.
In one violent outbreak recorded less than a day in August 2023, no fewer than seven individuals were stabbed, and one was killed across multiple sectors of the jail. The facility also reported four suicides in the past four years, one occurring as recently as April.
These occurrences are symptomatic of broader systemic issues including severe underfunding, overcrowding, inadequate staff training, and a lack of consistent oversight. The report also criticizes the jail for failing to provide timely and adequate medical and mental health care, citing gaps in medication distribution and treatment of serious mental health needs.
In addition to the humanitarian concerns, the infrastructural disrepair of the facility presents further hazards. Details of flooded living units, malfunctioning plumbing, unchecked pest infestations, and exposed electrical wiring illustrate the physically unsafe and unsanitary environment detainees must endure.
Moreover, teenagers detained at the jail, held as adults by Georgian law which puts the age of juvenile jurisdiction at 16, face shocking levels of violence and abuse, including sexual misconduct and excessive use of force, while also being denied necessary special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Addressing these profound violations, Attorney General Merrick Garland remarked on the pervasive and long-standing unlawful conditions, emphasizing a commitment to collaborate with Fulton County and the local Sheriff’s Office for remedial actions.
Prompted by the findings, the Justice Department has proposed a series of corrective measures and stands ready to file a federal lawsuit if necessary to enforce these reforms. Despite the severity of the findings, the County expressed a willingness to cooperate with federal authorities towards a resolution, indicating potential for systemic reform.
The report ultimately underscores the urgency of addressing systemic failings and implementing comprehensive reforms to protect the rights and lives of those incarcerated at Fulton County Jail. The broader implications for correctional facilities nationwide are clear, spotlighting the need for sustained vigilance and reform to uphold the constitutional rights and human dignity of all individuals under confinement.