Augusta’s only jail remains about 12% over capacity in a situation that prompted city leaders to spend millions to add 200 beds.
About 30 local law enforcement, judicial and elected officials convened Wednesday to discuss the population and ways to reduce it, in an event facilitated by Augusta Deputy Administrator Charles Jackson.
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As of July 9, Webster Detention Center housed 1,176 inmates, according to a report from Richmond County Sheriff’s Maj. Charles Mitchell, who keeps a running tally.
The Phinizy Road facility’s population currently includes 836 men and 130 women charged with felonies, according to his report. Sixty men and 15 women are in custody for misdemeanors.
Among inmates awaiting trial, 76 are charged with murder.
Some 168 are locked up for aggravated assault, typically for firing a gun at others. Eighteen face child molestation charges. The list did not specify how many have already been indicted for the offenses.
In addition, about 27 await transfers to state prison. The state pays Richmond County $55 a day to house convicted defendants, although it’s less than the $75 per day it costs Augusta.
“The state is going to let you keep them, because it’s cheaper for them,” Sheriff Richard Roundtree said.
Overall, the backlog is a result of the pandemic bringing court proceedings to a standstill, Roundtree said.
“We can’t catch up with the two years. We just can’t do it,” he said. “COVID really put us in a bind.”
Chief Assistant District Attorney Kevin Davis said his office has already tried 43 cases this year, after trying 46 in 2023.
The number of superior court judges was reduced from eight to five when Columbia County split from the circuit.
Trials require immense resources, such as copious storage for digital evidence often now used in prosecutions, he said. And for every defendant there is likely a victim, for whom the office seeks justice, he said.
“There are people on both sides of every one of these numbers,” Davis said. “The trials are being held. You just can’t have but so many a year.”
Sheriff-elect “Gino Rock” Brantley, who will take over his state-assigned role as county jail operator in January, asked how Augusta could expedite felony cases.
Nolan Martin, Augusta Judicial Circuit court administrator, said the system has implemented changes, such as the early assignment of judges to cases at the warrant level.
It has also attempted to expedite meetings between jailed clients and lawyers with an online system to reduce delays, he said.
But further slowing the process are all the defendants out on bond but also awaiting trial, Martin said.
The state’s system of conflict defender assignments is pushed to its limit when, for instance, six jail inmates get in a fight. None can then have the same public defender, he said.
A final element left out of the discussion Thursday is the “pipeline” of offenders who graduate from Richmond County Juvenile Court to Webster, Martin said.
Youth programs that show young people other options need to be expanded, to focus “on the future of Augusta,” he said.
Toward the end of the discussion Wednesday, Sheriff’s Capt. Allan Rollins said the needs of the jail expansion might be easier addressed by a small working group.
Those gathered appeared to reach consensus such a group should be formed.
