DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County Commission discussed a resolution that would have the county police department create a new policy focused on preventing homeless individuals from ending up in jail.
At the commission meeting, there was some discussion but the vote on the item was moved to a later meeting date in August, at the request of Commissioner Dr. LaDena Bolton and seconded for approval by Comm. Mereda Davis Johnson.
As far as the impacts if passed, the resolution calls for the new policy so the county jail is less at risk of being overwhelmed by overcrowding.
"The DeKalb County jail is experiencing overcrowding and poor and unhoused people will be trapped in jail because of their inability to pay a bond. Many unhoused individuals face mental illness, substance abuse and other issues that the jail is not equipped to handle," the resolution reads.
DeKalb County officials first introduced the resolution in September 2024, in the wake of a combination of federal and state-level legislative changes.
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The resolution cites the June 2024 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled it was constitutional to arrest or fine people who are sleeping in public places.
A Georgia bill that took effect on July 1, 2024, Senate Bill 63, expanded bail requirements and cash bond regulations, which DeKalb County commissioners said “increases the chances of the homeless individuals to be arrested and charged with trespassing,” was also said to contribute to the jail crowding issue.
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County officials said that as a result of the federal and state changes, “local police departments have been placed by default at the front lines of the homelessness response.”
Additionally, the county said that as homelessness continues to grow as an issue across the United States, using police to address the issue not only makes it more difficult for homeless residents to “escape life on the streets,” but it adds costs to the community.
For DeKalb County, officials said they need new policies in place that can take homeless individuals found sleeping in public spaces to a diversion program rather than taking them to jail.
“Jailing this vulnerable population may not be the right solution to address an exacerbating crisis. When appropriate, this population should be sent to a diversion program that will help to assist them with the help they need,” according to the resolution.
DeKalb County announced the funding for a nearly $8 million program called “Combat Housing Instability” to help residents at risk of losing their homes or who are currently homeless. It launched July 1.
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