Justice

Young Perps: The Costs of Sensationalizing Youth Crime

Jackson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Roderick Holmes Holmes told the Jackson Free Press that the police department's protocol for sending out mugshots to media depends on several factors, including public and media demands. But, it can also hinge on "what's going on at the time," he said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Media, Cops: Choose Crime Solutions Over Perp Shows

It has never occurred to me to call up the police and ask them to stage a special "perp walk" so I can send someone to photograph someone accused of a crime. And I would certainly never request the depraved privilege of capturing images of a juvenile accused of killing another child.

State Corrections Agency Replacing Military Strategy to Stop Repeat Offenders

Since learning that its traditional, military-style crime-fighting strategy actually increased repeat offenses, the Mississippi Department of Corrections plans to expand a recidivism-reduction program that focuses on cognitive behavioral change, called Thinking for a Change.

OPINION: Justice Against Sexual Violence

My middle daughter has always been one of my most outgoing and ambitious children. She was so proud of her uniform and of getting this job all on her own.

OPINION: A Better World for Harper

Sexual violence in America is as common as apple pie, so when reports of rampant acts of sexual assault and harassment became headline news over the last few months, my initial response was, "No sh*t, Sherlock."

Fellow Inmate Convicted for Murder of Choctaw Activist in Neshoba Jail

On Thursday, more than two years after activist Rexdale Henry of the Choctaw tribe of Native Americans turned up dead in a Neshoba County Jail cell, a jury found Justyn Schlegel, a fellow inmate, guilty of murder.

David Watkins Arrested for Embezzling More than $500,000 in Bonds

Jackson resident W. David Watkins turned himself in to authorities Wednesday night after being indicted on two counts for embezzling bond money intended for a development project he managed, announced Attorney General Jim Hood.

OPINION: Domestic Violence is the Problem

Domestic abusers all over the country gun down family members they blame for their problems every day. They take children and bystanders with them.

'Judicial Kidnapping’ in Pearl Youth Court?

Youth-court judges in Mississippi preside over all matters involving delinquent juveniles in addition to abused, neglected or abandoned children. Youth-court judges have the power to send children to foster care, grant custody to different guardians or give a child to adoptive parents.

Female Lawmakers Allege Harassment by Colleagues in House

As reports pile up of harassment or worse by men in entertainment, business and the media, one current and three former female lawmakers tell The Associated Press that they, too, have been harassed or subjected to hostile sexual comments—by fellow members of Congress.

Hinds DA's New Lawyer Pushes Back on State Case

Strapped with a new lead defense attorney, Robert Shuler Smith will face a trial in Rankin County for charges of two counts of domestic violence, and aggravated stalking and robbery.

Hollywood Sex Accusations Now Levied at Ratner, Hoffman

Hollywood's widening sexual harassment crisis has ensnared a prominent film director after six women—including actress Olivia Munn—accused Brett Ratner of sexual assault or misconduct in a Los Angeles Times report on Wednesday.

Sex Workers Caught in Trafficking Crackdown

Amid widespread efforts to crack down on sex trafficking, particularly of children, those who participate in adult sex work—often called prostitution—are getting caught in the sweeps. Many consider this a flaw in the system.

Hinds DA Replaces Attorney Reeves—Who Still Has the Gun

An "overwhelmed" Rankin County judge has delayed Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's trial for charges of two counts of domestic violence and aggravated stalking and robbery until Jan. 29, 2018.

Saved for a Reason: The Fight to End Domestic Violence

The Mississippi Department of Health tracks interpersonal violence in the state, and in fiscal-year 2015, law-enforcement officers responded to 10,411 calls related to domestic violence, the annual report from the Office Against Personal Violence shows.

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