Georgia NAACP president calls Bibb County Jail ‘inhumane’ after grand jury report
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A
recent
Bibb County Grand Jury report
is raising more concerns about the conditions inside the Bibb County Jail, and now the President of Georgia NAACP is responding.
The report, released Wednesday after an inspection in May, cites issues of overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure and threats to inmate safety. The report confirms what local leaders and members of the community
have been voicing for months.
The grand jury described portions of the jail as “disgusting and inhumane.”
Gerald Griggs, the president of the Georgia NAACP, is calling for a portion of the facility to be torn down.
“I’ve been practicing law for 21 years, and this is the worst detention facility I’ve ever seen,” he said. “And that says a lot considering that I live in Fulton County. The jail is horrible, dilapidated, and inhumane.”
The grand jury report mentioned inadequate drainage, broken locks and severe overcrowding across multiple cell blocks. In Block B200, jurors noted outdated door controls, poor lighting, and pools of unidentified liquid on floors.
During a tour of the facility last month, Griggs noted shocking conditions.
“There was feces on the ground,” he said. “There were broken locks. Some sections of the jail didn’t have lighting, there was unknown fluid on the ground, it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in several decades.” He characterized the situation as a “human rights crisis.”
Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller recently announced
new initiatives aimed at improving conditions at the jail. These include a 30-day audit to facilitate the release of 150 nonviolent inmates who would be monitored with ankle bracelets. However, Griggs argues this measure falls short.
“Releasing 150 people on ankle monitors is not going to solve the problem,” he said. “What he could do is invest more funding in the criminal justice system to move the cases so that they can either be adjudicated and go into the Department of Corrections or released permanently as their charges were dropped.”
The mayor also launched the Macon InReach program to assist inmates with housing, treatment and job support prior to their release. Griggs said real change requires more action.
“Find the funding to condemn that section of the jail and make an agreement with surrounding counties to house those inmates while they build a new jail,” he said.
The grand jury’s report specifically criticized Section “J” of the jail, mentioning overcrowding and unsafe conditions such as loose stairs and inadequate medical facilities. They reported a notable sanitation issue, evident from the persistent smell of urine in the infirmary.
Griggs says he has already brought these concerns to the attention of U.S. senators and the lieutenant governor. He says immediate and decisive action is necessary.
“This is not about political theater,” he said. “It’s about actually protecting people’s human and civil rights.”
District attorney reacts to grand jury report
Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita Howard released the following statement in response to the Grand Jury’s findings:
“The Grand Jury’s findings over the years have made it abundantly clear that improvement is necessary for the safety of all – our correctional staff, inmates, and our community. I fully support the collaborative efforts of Mayor Miller, Sheriff Davis, and our elected officials who are working to address these longstanding issues. The Mayor’s Violence Prevention initiatives, including expanded ankle monitoring for qualifying defendants who cannot afford bond, represent smart, evidence-based solutions that can reduce overcrowding while maintaining public safety. Let me be clear: these reforms focus on nonviolent offenders. We will not tolerate a lawless society. Our goal is a justice system that holds people accountable while providing pathways for rehabilitation as
deemed appropriate. The safety of our community depends on all of us – elected officials, law enforcement, inmates, and citizens – working together to maintain order and uphold the rule of law that keeps Macon-Bibb County safe.”
