Sen. Raphael Warnock (D., Ga.) steered $4 million in federal funds to convert part of Atlanta's city jail into a "diversion center" run by a George Soros-backed nonprofit that seeks to "transition away" from the criminal justice system.
The center, which received city council approval in February, will provide police with an "alternative" to incarcerating suspects who are "experiencing poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health issues," according to Atlanta lawmakers. Instead, the city will encourage police to drop off eligible offenders at the diversion center, which will offer noncompulsory services such as beds, showers, and mental health screenings, according to city officials.
The center will be co-managed by the Soros-funded Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative (PAD) and will help the city "transition away from legal system responses that utilize jails or arrest for concerns related to homelessness, mental health, substance use, and poverty," according to a memorandum of understanding between the Atlanta city government and PAD.
Warnock requested the $4 million earmark in June amid rising crime in Atlanta, which has seen a spike in burglaries, rapes, and homicides. Police say they are frustrated by the city's revolving door of repeat offenders, who commit up to 40 percent of crimes in the city and are released back on the streets after serving little to no prison time.
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Replies
Warnock did not win the election. It was stolen for him. Selected not elected.
This is why Stacy Abrams is so sure she will be elected governor (again)!