Atlanta Detention Center: What Happened to It and Where People in Custody Go Now

If you live in Atlanta, Georgia or have a loved one who was arrested in the city, you may still hear people mention the Atlanta Detention Center (ADC) or the Atlanta City Jail. For years it was the main city-run jail in downtown Atlanta. Today, things work very differently.

This guide explains, in plain language:

• What the Atlanta Detention Center was
• Its current status and future plans for the building
• Where people arrested in Atlanta are typically held now
• How to locate someone in custody
• What to know about visitation, phone calls, and legal help in the Atlanta area

All details are focused specifically on Atlanta, GA and the local jail system.

What Was the Atlanta Detention Center?

The Atlanta City Detention Center (often called ADC or the city jail) was a city-operated jail located in downtown Atlanta, near the federal and county courthouses.

It was mainly used for:

• People arrested within the City of Atlanta on city ordinance violations or certain state charges
• Short-term holding for people waiting to go to court or be transferred to another facility

Unlike the Fulton County Jail (Rice Street), which is run by the county sheriff and holds people on a wide range of criminal charges, the Atlanta Detention Center was a municipal jail operated by the City of Atlanta Department of Corrections.

Over time, the city shifted away from using the facility for large-scale detention, and public discussions began about closing or repurposing it.

Is the Atlanta Detention Center Still Open?

The Atlanta City Detention Center is no longer being used as a traditional city jail in the way it once was.

The city has moved toward:

• Reducing reliance on the city jail for lower-level offenses
• Using other facilities (mostly county jails) when someone must be detained
• Planning to re-purpose or transform the jail building into something more community-focused (often discussed as a “Center for Diversion and Services” or similar concept)

Because city policy and agreements can change over time, it’s important to check current information when you need to know exactly where someone is being held. However, as a general rule, people arrested in Atlanta today are more likely to end up in a county detention facility, not the old city jail.

If Someone Is Arrested in Atlanta, Where Are They Taken?

What happens after an arrest in Atlanta depends mostly on:

• Which agency made the arrest (Atlanta Police Department, MARTA Police, Georgia State Patrol, etc.)
• What type of charge is involved (city ordinance violation vs. state criminal charge)
• Which county you’re in (most of the City of Atlanta is in Fulton County, but parts are in DeKalb County)

Here’s a simple overview:

Fulton County Jail (Rice Street)

For many people arrested by the Atlanta Police Department in the central and western parts of the city, the primary facility is:

Fulton County Jail (Rice Street)
901 Rice St NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
Main phone (information line is often automated)

This is run by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, not the City of Atlanta. It houses people:

• Awaiting trial
• Held on probation or parole violations
• Serving certain short sentences

DeKalb County Jail

If the arrest happens in the DeKalb County portion of the City of Atlanta (generally the eastern side of the city):

DeKalb County Jail
4415 Memorial Dr
Decatur, GA 30032

This facility is run by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

How to Find Out Where Someone Is Being Held

If you’re in Atlanta and trying to find a friend or family member in custody, you generally won’t search for the “Atlanta Detention Center” anymore. Instead, you’ll look to the county.

1. Identify the County

First, figure out where the arrest likely happened:

• Midtown, Downtown, Buckhead, Westside, Southwest Atlanta: usually Fulton County
• East Atlanta, some parts of Kirkwood, Edgewood, and other southeastern neighborhoods: may be DeKalb County

If you’re not sure which county a specific address is in, many map tools and property records can tell you.

2. Search the County Jail System

Most people in custody related to Atlanta-area charges are held under a county jail roster or inmate search system. You can:

• Contact the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office if you believe the person is in Fulton County
• Contact the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office if you believe the person is in DeKalb County

When you call or use an online search, it helps to have:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Approximate date of arrest

3. If You Think It’s Federal

If you know the person was involved with a federal case (for example, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia), they may be held at:

Federal Detention Center – Atlanta (FDC Atlanta)
601 McDonough Blvd SE
Atlanta, GA 30315

This is a federal facility, different from the former city jail and from the county jails.

What About the Old Atlanta City Jail Building Downtown?

The building that housed the Atlanta City Detention Center is still standing in downtown Atlanta. Over the past several years, city leaders and community groups have discussed:

• Closing the jail function
• Converting the space into a diversion, reentry, and community services center
• Providing services such as housing support, mental health resources, workforce training, and legal assistance in place of traditional incarceration

Because this is a policy and development issue, the details and timelines may change. If you’re interested in the future of the building itself, you can monitor announcements from:

• City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office
• Atlanta City Council
• City of Atlanta Department of Corrections

This is more about long-term policy and community planning than about where your loved one might be held today.

Visiting or Contacting Someone in Custody (Atlanta Area)

Even though the old Atlanta Detention Center is no longer operating as the main city jail, many people in Atlanta still need to know how visitation and contact work in the local jail system.

Rules differ by facility and can change, but here are common patterns in the Atlanta area:

Visitation

Most local jails:

• Require visitors to be on an approved list
• Set specific days and times for visits, often based on the housing unit
• Enforce ID requirements (such as a driver’s license or state-issued ID)
• Limit what you can bring in (no phones, bags, or outside items)

For accurate, current rules, contact:

• Fulton County Jail for people held in Fulton
• DeKalb County Jail for people held in DeKalb
• FDC Atlanta for people in federal custody

Always confirm visiting hours and any special requirements before going in person.

Phone Calls

In most Atlanta-area facilities:

• People in custody typically cannot receive incoming calls
• They can usually make outgoing calls using the jail’s contracted phone provider
• Phone calls are often collect or require a prepaid account, and may be monitored or recorded

If you get a call from a local jail, you will often hear an automated message stating the facility name and the caller’s name before the call connects.

Mailing and Money

At many jails in and around Atlanta:

• You can send mail to the facility, usually including the person’s full legal name and booking or inmate number
• There are rules about what can be sent (for example, restrictions on photos, cards, or printed materials)
• Money can often be added to a commissary account or phone account through kiosks, mail, or approved online services

Because these rules are specific to each facility and can shift, verify details directly with the sheriff’s office or facility in question.

How Court Appearances Work After an Atlanta Arrest

After someone is arrested in Atlanta, they usually go through a series of steps tied to either municipal court or state/county courts, depending on the charge.

Atlanta Municipal Court

Some lower-level offenses (like city ordinance violations) may be handled in:

City of Atlanta Municipal Court
150 Garnett St SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

Here, people may:

• Have an initial appearance
• Address traffic or city ordinance cases
• Resolve some matters without extensive jail time

Fulton County and DeKalb County Courts

More serious state charges are typically handled in:

• Fulton County courts (for arrests in the Fulton part of Atlanta)
• DeKalb County courts (for arrests in the DeKalb part of Atlanta)

In these courts, people may have:

• First appearance / bond hearings
• Preliminary hearings
• Arraignment and trial in State Court or Superior Court, depending on the type of case

Knowing which county the case belongs to is key for tracking court dates and records.

Getting Legal Help in Atlanta

If you or a loved one is involved in a case that used to send people to the Atlanta Detention Center (or now sends them to a county jail), you may want legal guidance.

Common options in the Atlanta area include:

• Public defender services for those who qualify based on income (available through county or state agencies)
• Private criminal defense attorneys based in Atlanta or the surrounding counties
• Legal aid and nonprofit organizations that may help with certain types of cases or related civil issues

When reaching out for help, be ready with:

• Full legal name of the person involved
• Date of birth
• Any case numbers or booking numbers you have
• The county where the arrest happened (Fulton or DeKalb, in most Atlanta situations)

Key Takeaways for Atlanta Residents

• The Atlanta Detention Center (city jail) once served as the main municipal detention facility in downtown Atlanta, but it is no longer used as the city’s standard jail.
• People arrested in Atlanta today are most often held in county jails such as Fulton County Jail (Rice Street) or DeKalb County Jail, depending on where the arrest occurred.
• To locate someone, focus on the county sheriff’s office or, in certain cases, the Federal Detention Center – Atlanta.
• For court, expect cases to run through Atlanta Municipal Court for city-level offenses, or through Fulton/DeKalb county courts for state criminal charges.
• Policies about the future of the old city jail building are ongoing and centered around repurposing the space for community and diversion services rather than traditional incarceration.

If you’re dealing with an immediate situation, your fastest steps are usually to determine the county, contact the appropriate sheriff’s office or jail, and, if needed, seek legal assistance based in the Atlanta area.