ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said on Friday that there is a five-point plan that he believes could drastically reduce the jail’s population amid ongoing overcrowding concerns.

It is a possible solution to a federal consent decree issued by the U.S. Justice Department against the jail last year.

Pitts said the proposal could drop the facility’s population by at least 1,000 inmates in just a short time.

“We want to implement what I’m calling a last-chance diversion opportunity for those inmates,” he said.

Pitts discussed only part of that proposed plan on Friday, which would heavily utilize the Center for Diversion and Services in Atlanta. The center offers wraparound support for those facing poverty or mental health challenges.

Pitts and Vice-Chair Khadijah Abdur-Rahman’s plan would implement a last-chance diversion opportunity for detainees. Pitts said that means if someone is stopped by police and asked if they want to go to jail or the diversion center, they will have one final chance to make that decision once at the jail.

“At that point we will have a trailer there, where they will be given a last chance, a second opportunity to choose, and we believe that can be very, very successful,” Pitts said.

The center is currently only averaging three people per night, but can accommodate 40 per night.

Pitts said this plan could be a solution to a possible jail population cap, a suggestion from the monitor for the jail consent decree.

“The benefit in that is, that would be 2-300 fewer bodies in our Rice Street jail, therefore reducing the number of inmates in the jail, which addresses what the monitor is talking about, setting a cap,” he said.

The other parts of the plan will be discussed at Wednesday’s meeting.

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