By Aaron Waisler, 11 Alive

ATLANTA — Fulton County leaders want to give people headed to the Rice Street jail one last chance to avoid incarceration.

County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts announced a new plan to ease overcrowding at the jail. That plan includes sending more offenders to the County's Diversion Center.

The facility is on the Atlanta Detention Center's property; however, it's a separate operation -- meant for anyone struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues.

Chairman Pitts says the problem is that the center was built to serve up to 40 people a day, but it's currently serving 8 at most.

So the new plan is to give detainees another chance to choose when they arrive at Rice Street.

They'll be asked again whether they would rather go to the diversion center. The hope is that this will increase diversion rates.

Chairman Pitts says this is just one of five measures he's proposing to reduce jail overcrowding. He plans to announce the rest at Wednesday's Board of Commissioners meeting.

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