PR03-014

Date:

May 8, 2003

 
Fulton County Jail Has More Requirements, Mandates Comparison to Dekalb Explains Higher Cost
 

A study released today shows that direct supervision, higher accreditation, and health care mandates required of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office highlight differences in a comparison of operational costs with the Sheriff’s Office in Dekalb County.

The comparison was conducted after members of the Board of County Commissioners recently questioned why the Fulton County Jail’s annual operational cost was $20 million higher than its neighbor in Dekalb County.

“It is clear that the Fulton County Jail has more requirements and mandates than other similar jails. However, I will not allow that to interfere with my job. I will always ensure that our jail is secure, our pubic is safe, and our jailers and officers have the tools they need to do their jobs,” said Fulton County Sheriff Jackie Barrett.

Barrett said that a one-on-one comparison cannot be drawn. For instance, Sheriff Barrett’s Office has 206 more positions than Dekalb County. That is due to the fact that the Fulton County Jail was designed for direct supervision, whereas the Dekalb County Jail was designed for indirect supervision. A direct supervision jail design, Barrett noted, requires more staffing than the indirect supervision jail.

Other highlights of the comparison include:

 

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office provides bailiff services, security and inmate transportation for 35 courts, whereas Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office staffs between 18 and 22 courts.

 

Accreditation guidelines issued by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) on staffing requirements. The Fulton County Jail is also accredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA) and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC).

 

Fulton County requires departments to budget 29.65% for Group Insurance and pension, while Dekalb requires 10.50%.

 

Due to a Federal Settlement Agreement, Fulton County is required to provide more direct medical and mental health services to inmates than in Dekalb County. Sheriff Barrett’s department’s FY 2003 budget for medical and mental health services was $13.5 million, while her counterpart budgeted $10.4 million.

In summary, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office was required to budget $9.5 million more in salaries and benefits; $5.6 million more in mandated benefits; $3 million more in medical and mental health services; and $200,000 more for clergy. (Until last month, Fulton County included funding for clergy. Dekalb’s budget did not include such a line item.)

Inexplicably, the Fulton County Commissioners slashed Sheriff Barrett’s budget in FY 2003 ($78 million) by $5 million, or 6 percent, even when some county agencies saw increases. For example, the Board of Commissioners raised its budget 27 percent for new staff.

The sheriff did acknowledge that she needs more funds. “Although the jail is secure and managed efficiently, we do have staffing and other challenges that must be addressed. More funding is essential. Public safety must never be jeopardized.”

For more information, please contact Lieutenant Clarence Huber at (404) 730-4148. Lieutenant Huber can also be reached on his digital pager at (404) 742-6798.