Macon-Bibb County Begins Jail Expansion, Focusing on Mental Health and Overcrowding

The $1.24M first phase will demolish the old Higgins building and create new parking, paving the way for future expansion and renovations.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:37pm

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An extreme close-up of a set of handcuffs or a jail cell key, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the stark realities of the criminal justice system.A harsh, gritty close-up of the tools of incarceration highlights the challenges facing Macon-Bibb County's jail system.Macon Today

Macon-Bibb County commissioners have approved funding for the first phase of a planned expansion of the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center. The project aims to reduce overcrowding and improve safety for inmates, including those with mental health, addiction, and maximum security needs. The initial phase will demolish the old Higgins building and construct a new parking lot, clearing the way for later construction and interior renovations that could add about 150 beds within a new medical annex.

Why it matters

The jail expansion is intended to address long-standing issues of overcrowding and inadequate facilities for inmates with mental health, addiction, and other specialized needs. County leaders hope the redesigned layout will allow for better separation of inmates based on risk level, improving safety for both staff and inmates.

The details

The first phase of the expansion project, costing $1.24 million, will involve demolishing the old Higgins building behind the jail and constructing a new parking lot. This will clear space for future construction and interior renovations, which could add around 150 beds in a new medical annex. The expansion is expected to take place in multiple phases over 14-18 months, with later phases focusing on interior renovations and the construction of additional housing units.

  • The Macon-Bibb County commissioners approved the $1.24 million funding for the first phase on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
  • The demolition of the Higgins building and construction of the new parking lot is expected to begin in the next few weeks.

The players

Lester Miller

The mayor of Macon-Bibb County, who confirmed the expansion will move forward in multiple phases.

Gail Slocumb

A family member of an inmate at the Bibb County Jail, who has reported issues such as infestations and unsafe conditions inside the facility.

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What they’re saying

“We have some people that have their mental challenges that find themselves repetitively incarcerated. This new bed space, as well as the new interior portion that we'll be remodeling, will help with those that are having addiction problems, homelessness problems, mental health problems, suicide issues...which a lot of times our homeless population falls into some of those categories, a chronic situation where they get out of jail tomorrow, and 10 days later they're back in jail.”

— Lester Miller, Mayor

“That was an awful call, an awful call to get from your child. None of them inmates, no matter what they've done, deserve the kind of treatment that they're getting in that Bibb County jail.”

— Gail Slocumb, Family member of inmate

What’s next

The county is still finalizing design details for the later phases of the expansion project, including whether beds will be placed side by side at ground level instead of stacked bunks. Officials expect to have a full cost estimate for Phase 2 by June 2026.

The takeaway

The Macon-Bibb County jail expansion aims to address longstanding issues of overcrowding and inadequate facilities for inmates with mental health, addiction, and other specialized needs. While the initial phase focuses on demolition and parking, future phases will involve interior renovations and new housing units designed to improve safety and allow for better separation of inmates based on risk level.