The Fulton County Jail in Atlanta unconstitutionally subjects inmates to “inhumane, violent and hazardous conditions” that threaten their safety, a US Justice Department official said Thursday, announcing the results of a 16-month investigation.

The Fulton County is “abhorrent, unconstitutional” and a violation of civil rights, according to a report by Department of Justice. After a 16-month study, federal officials released a 97-page report outlining the multiple issues within the jail located on Rice Street in Atlanta.

The U.S. Department of Justice says dangerous, unsanitary and deadly conditions at the troubled Fulton County jail violate inmates' constitutional rights. Why it matters: Fulton elected officials and Sheriff Pat Labat have quarreled for years over how to fix the overcrowded northwest Atlanta facility.