Why was it

built without an eye to the future? What happened was,

the county then formed a state court, by ballot [which

added] a Jjudge, solicitor, and court clerk then, which

was appropriate, then somehow we went out in left field.

A combined

probation department of state court, Peachtree City

Municipal Court (with a population of over 30,000, a

9-mile trip to the Fayette County Jail) approximately two

years ago, the Municipal Court of Fayetteville and the

Municipal Court of Tyrone were formed, patterned after

some other county, for the sole purpose of revenue. Union

City, which is about half the size of Peachtree City, has

a large new jail.

Peachtree

City, Tyrone, and Fayetteville keep the monies collected

for fines for D.U.I. and misdemeanor cases and also

participate in the combined probation system that brings

money into their coffers every month. So why does the

county have to build a new jail to house these prisoners

on [city] misdemeanor cases and violations of probation?

A [person

who pleads guilty] pays a fine and is put on probation

for 12 months, or if tried and found guilty, is put on

probation, also. This consists of the person reporting

once or twice a month and paying a fee each month for

being on probation.

The courts

are usually dealing with persons who are prone to get in

trouble, and if it happens while on probation an arrest

is made as the state judge or municipal judge deems

necessary. This has been the main reason for overcrowding

at the Fayette County Jail.

Fayetteville

used to have a jail - what happened to it? Did it go the

way of the railroad?

Something

is out of balance here and it looks like it's all over

money, and that's the sorry state of affairs for a

justice system to get into.

There is no

need for a new jail. Peachtree City, Tyrone and

Fayetteville should take responsibility for their own

courts and prisoners, and quit trying to enforce the

letter of the law and putting every case on probation,

many of which end up in the Fayette County Jail sooner or

later.

James C.

Claudell

Fayetteville