Dougherty judge looks to reduce inmate jail time for nonviolent crimes

ALBANY – A Dougherty County Superior Court judge is making an effort to assist jail inmates who have been sitting in jail for months secure bail and move back into the community while awaiting disposition of their cases.

Judge Joseph Dent said there are instances of inmates sitting at the county jail who have not been indicted after 300 or more days who for one reason or another have not been able to secure bail. Specifically, Dent is referring to inmates charged with nonviolent crimes or who have minor probation holds who could be safely released.

The judge made his remarks during a Monday update to the Dougherty County Commission. 

Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Dent to the Dougherty Judicial Circuit in December 2023 after the number of judges for the circuit was increased from three to four. He faces no opposition in the 2026 election for another four-year term.

The judge said he would like to return incarcerated individuals to the community when possible. The incarceration of those who are charged with nonviolent crimes for periods of a year is also an expense to the county.

Calculating the cost for incarcerating two inmates who could have been bailed out who had been jailed for more than 300 days each was eye opening.

“Just those two inmates were in the $25,000 range,” Dent said.

Dent held special sessions in March and May to examine cases of inmates involving nonviolent charges or for which they have been held without an indictment being issued for 300 or more days. In some cases the inmates have been jailed for months and do not have an attorney for their case.

“I’m getting these cases on a calendar to see what we need to do with them,” he said. “That’s led to some of these (inmates) being out. That’s a condition to move the case, to get a lawyer. It makes the defense lawyer and the district attorney’s office look at that file.

“It either gets it moving forward or it gets resolved. There have been people arrested for small things, and eventually the charges are dismissed.”

With some assistance at the jail and through the court system, Dent said that he believes more inmates in similar circumstances could be released while awaiting trial or have their cases adjudicated and allow them to get on with their lives.

“It’s going to take people,” Dent said. “It’s going to take money. You’ve got to have somebody identify these people and then move the process to get them indicted.

“You might spend $100,000, $200,000 … but if you spend those kinds of funds, you could save several million.”

During his appearance, commissioners questioned Dent about harsher penalties in felony cases involving guns as a way to remove violent criminals from the streets.

“The people who have mental health issues are in jail, but the violent offenders are getting out (on bail),” Commissioner Clinton Johnson said. “We arrest them, but they get out so fast. What are we doing to protect the community?

“How do we change that paradigm? Let’s name it; let’s do it. The issue is we have violent offenders in our community. I’m talking about this impending, constant danger.”

A meeting is being planned between commissioners and Superior Court judges that will include the topic of violent crime, Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard told commissioners.