Justice

Trafficking: An Ugly Reality in Mississippi

Human trafficking, a form of slavery, doesn't just happen overseas in prostitution rings or on television. It's a nasty, ugly reality—and it happens right here in Mississippi.

Human Trafficking: Unseen and Unaddressed

Victims of human trafficking need a place to go in Mississippi. The Center for Violence Prevention in Pearl has an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, and Executive Director Sandy Middleton has received several calls asking her to house rescued trafficking victims in her emergency shelter.

Hinds Youth Center Director: Major ‘Gaps’ in Juvenile Justice Feed Cycle of Crime

Johnnie McDaniels, the executive director of the Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center, spoke softly to the assembled Justice Reform Task Force in Jackson's police headquarters about how in a decade as city prosecutor, he had known little about the realities of juvenile justice.

Sentencing Delayed in Bribery Case Tied to Ex-Prison Chief

Sentencing has been delayed for a consultant who pleaded guilty to bribing the former head of Mississippi's prison system.

Stokes to Circulate Police-chase Petition in Response to DOJ Letter

During a community meeting at Cornerstone Baptist Church Wednesday night, Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes and citizens decided to circulate a petition in response to a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division about suburban police departments' high-speed chases into the city.

JPD Targets ‘Bandos’: A Different Kind of ‘Broken Windows’ Policing

JPD Chief Lee Vance is frustrated at the State for owning so much crumbling housing in Jackson but is glad that his department is helping to bring it down.

Juvy Intervention Programs Losing Federal Funds

Pre-intervention programs are vital in the state's criminal-justice system and have the power to prevent young people from entering the criminal-justice system in the first place.

Mississippi High Court is Asked to Toss 1990 Death Sentence

An attorney asked the Mississippi Supreme Court on Tuesday to toss out a death sentence for a man who has spent more than half his life on death row, saying he's mentally disabled and should not be executed for killing a family of four a quarter-century ago.

Attorney: Charge to be Reduced in Mississippi Hot-Car Death

A defense attorney says he expects a Mississippi prosecutor to reduce the second-degree murder charge against a man arrested last week when his 8-month-old daughter died after being left in a hot car.

'Pay or Stay' Lawsuit Against City Part of Larger Trend of Challenges

Municipal-court systems that practice "pay or stay" policies, jailing people who cannot afford fines, are facing legal objections across the South from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union. In addition to Jackson, it includes the Municipal Court of Biloxi.

Father Charged with Murder After 8-Month-Old Dies in Car

A father has been charged with second-degree murder after his 8-month-old daughter died in his overheated car in northern Mississippi, police said Friday.

Mississippi GOP Reps: Superintendent Should Oppose Transgender Rules or Step Down

A group of Mississippi House Republicans emailed a letter today directly to state Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright, asking her to step down unless the Mississippi Department of Education swiftly reverses its decision to follow the president’s guidelines on protecting transgender students’ rights.

Mississippi Senate Leader Burton Gets DUI Charge After Wreck

The second-ranking leader of the Mississippi Senate has been charged with DUI after a one-vehicle wreck.

JPD Demolishes 200th House, Inmate Dies, Property Crimes Down, Commander Awarded

The Jackson Police Department is celebrating its 200th demolition of abandoned homes this week, including some they say are "high profile."

Domestic Violence Coalition: State Needs to Support Victims

More than a dozen domestic violence activists gathered at the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence headquarters on May 11 in response to the failure of SB 2418, the 'divorce bill' that would have created legal provisions to make domestic violence grounds for divorce in the state.

Ellington