Despite being a pro-business state, Georgia’s legal environment lags behind many states. Georgia should continue to focus on medical malpractice reform as the first step in moving us toward a more effective, efficient and fair legal system.
By Ross Coker
As the dust settles from the 2017 legislative session, among the legislation heading to the Governor’s desk are three significant criminal justice reform-related measures initiated in the Senate.
The first, Senate Bill 174, focuses on Georgia’s Accountability Court system…
By Ross Coker
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation and other organizations committed to intelligent criminal justice reform in Georgia, have for some time pointed out Georgia’s astronomical rates of parole and probation, the highest in the nation by far. Georgia…
By Ross Coker
The popularity of consumer-grade multi-rotor or quadcopter devices, the unmanned aerial vehicles commonly referred to as “drones,” has skyrocketed over the last several years. While previously a niche product for aviation and remote controlled vehicle (“RC”) enthusiasts, the…
By Ross Coker
With the tumultuous results of the general election, one issue that should not be pushed to the back is the reform of civil asset forfeiture laws to curb abuse and perverse incentives that harm innocent victims and the reputation…
By Gerard Robinson and Elizabeth English
On October 12, 29 prisoners and 45 Baltimore-area experts in criminal justice congregated in the Jessup Correctional Institution library. Most were members of the University of Baltimore community or other academics. All were eager to…
By Benita M. Dodd
BENITA DODD
Once, Georgia’s most alarming criminal justice statistic was that one resident in 13 was under correctional supervision – imprisoned, jailed, on parole or on probation. Today, thanks to an ongoing series of criminal justice…
Amid the nationally ongoing and sometimes emotionally charged discussion of police interactions and transparency, Atlanta is moving toward body cameras for law enforcement officers.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta City Council voted to spend nearly $6 million to purchase…
California State Democratic Sen. Holly Mitchell and various law enforcement groups in California have reached an agreement regarding the fate of a bill introducing various reform measures to the state’s civil asset forfeiture laws, according to The Los Angeles Times…
As reported in Creative Loafing, the city of Atlanta is considering new measures designed to keep people out of jail who might be better served with a targeted response to the reason for their offense. This proposed measure is among…
By Benita Dodd
BENITA DODD
The media hype surrounding the political parties’ national conventions spotlights the enormous discord created by personalities and politics as the presidential election approaches. Getting short shrift amid slogans and the scramble for dollars and votes…
By Hans von Spakovsky
Hans von Spakovsky
The sudden, unexpected death of Justice Antonin Gregory Scalia is a tragedy not just for his extensive family and many friends, but for the Supreme Court, the nation and all those who believe…
The Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform has released its 2016 Report, which provides a summary of progress to date and a list of recommendations. Below are excerpts from the report’s executive summary.
It is often said that the states are…
Civil asset forfeiture happens when law enforcement seizes property and money suspected of being related to a crime without any criminal conviction.
Originally, it was a way for police to target drug trafficking and money laundering; today, it’s described as…
By Benita M. Dodd
BENITA DODD
The lineup is complete for the Sixth Annual Georgia Legislative Policy Forum on Thursday, October 15, with a theme and speakers that live up to its description as “the opening shot” to the Georgia legislative…
