Georgia made national headlines last year when the state executed Willie James Pye, a man who multiple expert witnesses had deemed intellectually disabled. Pye and two other people had been convicted of the 1996 murder, kidnapping, rape, and robbery of his ex-girlfriend, Alicia Yarbrough, in Spaulding County. Anti-death penalty advocates worked diligently to get Pye […]
criminal justice
Posted inPublic Safety
Atlanta Public Safety Groups to Join First Crime Survivors March on Washington
A near-death experience helped Aswad Thomas understand the connection between those who enact violence and their victims — and the many ways America is failing both. “There’s this false dichotomy that victims and quote-unquote perpetrators are different. No, we’re often in the same household,” Thomas said earlier this month, during a southwest Atlanta event for […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
Fulton Officials, Activists Debate After New Jail Funding Fails
A new coalition of criminal justice advocates is challenging Fulton County Board of Commissioners on the best way to address the humanitarian and overcrowding crises that have plagued the county jail for decades. The one thing both sides agree on is that there won’t be a brand new jail built at a cost of billions […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Incarceration
Pretrial Diversion: Ask Your Lawyer if You Qualify for Program to Dodge Trial
Whether you are paying for your own criminal defense lawyer or have been assigned a public defender, they will have to help you through the application process. Pretrial diversion programs redirect certain, usually first time, offenders away from the jailhouse and back into the community, often with community service as part of the requirements to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
How To Get Your Felony Expunged in Georgia
Having a felony conviction on your record can make it difficult to find employment and housing, which contributes to higher rates of recidivism. The process to get a record expunged can be difficult to navigate. Organizations such as Georgia Justice Project offer free record expungement legal services for people with a criminal conviction. GJP staff […]