criminal justice
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Athens-Clarke County
Life After Sexual Assault: Finding Ways To Cope With Trauma
Just a little over one year ago, someone sexually assaulted Katie Camp. In the days following her assault, Katie slept on the floor of her bathroom with all of the lights on because it felt safer. She faced night terrors and sleep paralysis most nights and wouldn’t be able to…
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Athens-Clarke County
An Inside Look at Addiction Recovery Stigma
“What’s right with you?” That’s the first thing people hear when they go to an addiction recovery workshop hosted by the nonprofit People Living in Recovery. Tucked inside the second floor of a Christian ministry in Athens, PLR provides a safe, positive space for people on the journey to recovery.…
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Athens-Clarke County
Forensic Sketch Artist Who Sketched Recent Suspect Has Solving Crimes Down to an Art
When a crime is committed, Kelly Lawson takes matters into her own hands. Kelly Lawson is a forensic sketch artist at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. And while the job may look fun, it’s far from easy. Lawson has her victims recall memories from some of the most traumatizing moments…
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Athens-Clarke County
Forensic Medical Exams: A Look Into the ‘Rape Kit’
A forensic medical exam (FME) is an examination offered to survivors of sexual assault after an assault has occurred. An FME is designed to meet the medical needs of a survivor while collecting any forensic evidence. Often called “Rape Kits” in popular media, FMEs can be provided at a hospital,…
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Athens-Clarke County
Favor House: A Mission Against Addiction, Recidivism
Rev. Dr. Charles McDonald was very quick to tell me that Favor House Ministries is not a halfway house. To its residents, typically numbering in the dozens at a time, Favor House may be a last resort, a longshot opportunity to salvage their lives and relationships. Inversely, it may mark…
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Athens-Clarke County
CSI Effect: Television’s Portrayal of Forensic Science Leads to More Acquittals
In 2015, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” was canceled after 15 years on the air, but crime-television lovers are still at risk of distorting their reality when it comes to forensic evidence thanks to a phenomenon called the CSI Effect. First reported on in a 2004 USA Today article, the CSI…
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Athens-Clarke County
DUI Arrests Decreasing Each Year in Athens-Clarke County
Since 2007, the number of DUI arrests in Athens-Clarke County has decreased steadily from 827 cases in 2007 to just 350 cases in 2018. Two factors may contribute to this decline: a decline in the number of police officers and fewer people choosing to drive drunk. Since 2016, the…
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Athens-Clarke County
Half Of All Inmates are Mentally Ill, So Why Are They In Jail?
Just to be clear, if you’re in jail, chances are you are accused or have been convicted of committing a crime. What may not be clear is whether you suffer from mental illness. On Tuesday, March 19, a Georgia appellate judge told a room full of criminal justice students, civil…
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Athens-Clarke County
UGA Criminal Justice Program Changes Everything You Know About the ‘Typical’ Student
For spring 2019, 15 University of Georgia students spent their semester inside the Athens-Clarke County jail, but not as inmates. One by one, they walk through the Athens-Clarke County Jail metal detector, allowed to bring only a pen and class materials into the facility. The students empty their pockets, leaving…