On January 21, Mayor’s Office staff presented to City Council during a Public Safety Committee Work Session to discuss a justice reform plan of action and Department of Corrections redeployment plan. The Administration’s goal is to make the city safer and more equitable by implementing some commonsense justice reforms that will align functions with current and future needs and allow closure of the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC). To achieve this goal, Mayor’s Office staff outlined a five-point plan for reform:

1.      Expand diversion offerings and implement changes to APD policies and practices to reduce arrests for municipal code offenses.

2.      Update the city code in phases to remove incarceration as a penalty for certain municipal code offenses and place a stronger emphasis on community service.

3.      Renovate the Municipal Court to support improved booking and processing of any arrests.

4.      Build space at the proposed new Public Safety Training Academy to accommodate the needs of the PAT3 program and to support the finalized plan.

5.      Close ACDC, finalize decisions on repurposing the facility and/or land, and begin the process to implement the vision for Centers of Equity.