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Vision

Mayor Bottoms and the Atlanta community have a bold vision to transform the Atlanta City Detention Center into a Center for Equity.

• We envision the reimagined ACDC as a vibrant place of healing and opportunity, embracing restorative practices, comprehensive support, and cultural offerings.

• We believe that these investments in this manner will improve public safety and security to save lives.

• We believe in a community-driven approach that is open and transparent and which advances evidence-based services through a data driven process.

Goals

• Eliminate the need for the ACDC as an arrest processing and detention center;

• Establish a dynamic and vibrant Center for Equity, ideally through the transformation of the ACDC, that will advance racial and economic equity, promote restorative justice, and invest in the well-being of individuals, families, and communities;

• Engage individuals, families and communities impacted by incarceration and ensure openness and transparency in the planning process;

• Create a center for Equity that is long term financially sustainable;

• Ensure and improve safety and wellness across all of Atlanta’s neighborhoods.

Project Summary

The Atlanta City Detention Center, located in the heart of Atlanta at Peachtree Street NW and Memorial Drive SW, is an 11-story, 471,000 square foot active detention and arrest-processing center. The current ACDC facility has the capacity to house approximately 1,300 detainees. However, the average daily population of detainees is currently less than 150 because of Mayor Bottoms’ and community-led successful efforts to decriminalize several low-level offenses; launch a pre-arrest diversion initiative; reform municipal cash bail, reduce crime in our city; and end a long-term contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

It is a top priority of Mayor Bottoms to put this underutilized facility to more productive use as a multi-faceted center for wellness and healing, skills-building, economic mobility and crime prevention, for people, families and communities impacted by a history of over-incarceration. By converting this space, the City of Atlanta seeks to invest in people to break the cycle of poverty while at the same time improving public safety practices and opportunities that reduce recidivism and rebuild lives.

The goal is for a fully retrofitted facility to permanently house a diverse set of social service, not-for-profit, recreational and cultural activities. It will also include compatible revenue-generating uses to help make the Center for Equity financially viable and to provide a vibrant, beautiful and welcoming space for the community and the people it will serve.

Task Force

The Task Force will provide recommendations to the Mayor for proposed alternative uses of ACDC, including further steps that may be considered for the City to reduce criminal violations that are consistent with public safety. The Task Force will be comprised of representatives of local government and 25 citizens selected from nominations submitted by the public.

Task Force Meeting One (July 16, 2019)

• Reimagining the ACDC ‐ Task Force Meeting 1
• Reimagining the ACDC ‐ Framework and Parameters
• Reimagining the ACDC ‐ Selection Committee Criteria and Task Force Committee Members

• View the preliminary summary of the Task Force Meeting 1 workshop.

Task Force Meeting Two (September 10, 2019)

• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 2 Agenda
• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 2 Slides
• Policy Workgroup Scope of Work
• Program Workgroup Scope of Work
• Building Workgroup Scope of Work
• Reimaging the ACDC – Meeting 2 Community Engagement Organizations

Task Force Meeting Three (Tuesday October 29th, 2019)

• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 3 Agenda
• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 3 Slides

Task Force Meeting Four (Tuesday December 10th, 2019)

• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 4 Agenda
• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 4 Slides

Task Force Meeting Five (Tuesday February 25th)

• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 5 Agenda
• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 5 Slides
• Reimagining the ACDC – Meeting 5 Handout

Task Force Meeting Meeting 6 (April 2020)

Due to COVID-19, this sixth and final Reimagining ACDC Task Force Meeting is postponed until further notice. Please continue to monitor the calendar for further details or reach out to reimagineacdc@atlantaga.gov with questions.

Reimagining ACDC Final Task Force Deliverables

• Policy Workgroup Report
• Program Workgroup Report 
• Building Progress Report 
• Center for Equity Final Feasibility Report
• Community Engagement Report  
• Georgia State University: Decarceration and Decriminalization Initiatives in the United States 
• Emory University, Goizueta Business School: Real Estate Market Analysis

Task Force meetings are open to the public. We hope you will join us at future meetings.

Please visit the City of Atlanta’s website for more information.

Photo © Mark Chandler Photography