Paulding Co. Boy, 11, Caught With Gun At School

By |

An 11-year-old Paulding County boy is now in his mother’s custody one day after he was caught with a gun in his backpack at school. Students alerted East Paulding Middle School administrators on Monday that the boy had the gun in his bookbag. School leaders then called the Paulding County Sheriff's Office. A resource officer dispatched to the scene later removed the .40 caliber gun from the student’s bag without incident. The boy was taken to the sheriff's office and charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds.

Babysitter Charged In Toddler’s Murder Is 10, Not 11

By |

The Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE.org) has confirmed from a confidential source that the girl charged in the death of a toddler left in her care is actually 10-years-old not 11, as has been extensively reported. The age of the girl facing felony murder and child cruelty charges in the death of two-year-old Zyda White is just one of many new details JJIE.org has learned about the babysitter, whose name has not been released. Sandy Springs Police spokesman Lt. Steve Rose has confirmed more details about what allegedly happened on September 18. Police said the mothers of both girls were co-workers at a Chili’s Restaurant near Perimeter Mall. They worked the evening shift at the restaurant on the night of the incident, according to Rose.

A bout of “He Said, He Said” Erupts In Bishop Eddie Long Sex Case

By |

A war of words has erupted between both sides of the controversial sex case against metro Atlanta megachurch bishop Eddie Long. An attorney representing the embattled New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor has accused the four young men who have filed lawsuits claiming sexual impropriety – and their lawyer – of  "attempting to try their lawsuits in the media." The accusations from Long’s lawyer Craig Gillen follow the airing of WAGA-TV’s interview Tuesday night with Jamal Parris. In a statement Gillen told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "There are rules on how civil litigation is to take place and how counsel should conduct themselves, we intend to follow those rules." In the taped interview outside a Colorado grocery store Parris said that he loved the Lithonia pastor but now considers him "a monster."

Ga. ACLU To Host “School-To-Prison Pipeline” Forums

By |

The  American Civil Liberties Union calls the “School-To-Prison Pipeline” (STPP) one of the most important civil rights challenges facing our nation today (view the Advancement Project's STPP report). The term refers to what the organization cites as a national trend of criminalizing, rather than educating, the nation’s children.  It is carried out, the ACLU says, through zero-tolerance discipline, school-based arrests, disciplinary alternative schools and secured detention to marginalize disadvantaged youth and deny them access to a quality education. In an effort to raise public awareness and map out prevention strategies, the ACLU of Georgia is teaming up with several other non-profit organizations to hold a series of five regional community symposiums. The overall objective, organizers say, is to bring together students, parents, community groups, elected representatives and faith-based organizations. All  of the information compiled will be included in a statewide action plan that would highlight community-based solutions as well as proven local and national strategies for change. ACLU of Georgia Legal Director Chara Jackson spoke to JJIE’s Chandra Thomas about the focus of the forums being held next month across the state -- from Atlanta to Valdosta.

Three Men Accuse Megachurch Minister Long of Sexual Misconduct

By |

Allegations of sexual misconduct continue to stack up against the nationally-known pastor of a 25,000-member metro Atlanta megachurch. The day after two men accused New Birth Baptist Church Bishop Eddie Long of using his power to force them into a sexual relationship, a third man has filed a similar lawsuit. Anthony Flagg, 20, and Maurice Robinson, 21, claim the Lithonia pastor placed them and other men on the church’s payroll, bought them cars and other gifts, took them on lavish trips and provided access to celebrities in exchange for sexual acts, according to the suits filed in DeKalb County Superior Court. Long engaged in sexual touching that escalated to oral sodomy and “other acts of sexual gratification," the initial suits claim. Both men were past the legal age of consent in Georgia — which is 16 — when the alleged incidents happened.

5K Walk Raising Money To Fight Child Predators

By |

A new “Meetup” group in the metro area aims to uncover Atlanta’s dirty little secret. Stop Child Trafficking Now (SCTN) officially launched its local chapter last month via Meetup.com, an online hub for grassroots community and small business organizations to connect with potential members. SCTN raises money to mobilize investigative teams that gather information used to convict child predators in the United States and abroad. The organization officially kicks off its local initiative with a 5K walk fundraiser next month in Cobb County. JJIE’s Chandra R. Thomas spoke with SCTN’s Executive Director Greg Wark about the event and the organization’s overall objectives.

Former Hall County School Bus Driver, Minister Sentenced To Six Years For Child Pornography

By |

A former Hall County school bus driver and self-described “Patriot Preacher” will spend the next six years behind bars for distributing, receiving and possessing hundreds of images of child pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge William C. O'Kelley handed down the sentence Friday to John Cooper Spinks, 41, of Oakwood, Georgia. His punishment also includes 20 years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine. There is no parole in the federal system. “As a school bus driver, this defendant was in daily contact with the children of Hall County,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.

Judge Warns Budget Cuts “Will Have a Crippling Effect on Juvenile Justice in Georgia.”

By |

Many people charged with carrying out juvenile justice in Georgia are concerned about how new state budget cuts will affect children, communities, and the system overall. “I just fear that there’s going to be less policing done on juvenile behavior,” says Early County Sheriff Jimmy Murkerson, of Governor Sonny Perdue’s recent order that the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and other state agencies amend their 2011 budget proposals with plans for four, six and eight percent cuts. “The general public seems to feel that [law enforcement] should be handling every offense from sagging pants to curfew violations, but you’ve got to have the manpower to address these minor issues. With these cuts that manpower just won’t be there.”

Gwinnett County Juvenile Judge Stephen Franzen echoes a similar sentiment. “Our ability to respond to the needs of kids and the community is going to be severely damaged,” he says.

Juvenile Justice Forum Encourages Agency Collaboration

By |

It was a chance meeting, but highly impactful. Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Commissioner Garland Hunt struck up what he expected to be a casual conversation on an elevator Tuesday. It turns out the man alongside him worked as a prosecutor in the state and had a lot to say to the newly appointed DJJ chief. “He told me that ‘I know you all want to help out the (incarcerated) kids, but I get to see the victims every day,” says Hunt, who took his post in May. “Don’t forget the victims too.’ I think it was great for me to have that conversation; to be reminded of that fact and to keep that in the forefront of my mind as I make decisions every day.”

Such dialogue – and more importantly creating an opportunity for representatives from various agencies across the state to communicate and collaborate formally and informally – was at the heart of a Juvenile Justice Forum held this week at the Lake Lanier Islands Resort in Buford.

Zero Tolerance, Zero Common Sense? Author Proposes Widespread School Security Reform

By |

Police officers, armed security guards, surveillance cameras and metal detectors are now commonplace at schools across the country. They go hand in hand with zero tolerance polices adopted by school systems in the wake of highly publicized outbreaks of violence. In a new book, Homeroom Security: School Discipline in an Age of Fear author Aaron Kupchik argues that these polices need to be reassessed to include some flexibility and more common sense. Research at four public high schools helped shaped Kupchik’s argument. He compiled more than 100 hours of interviews with students, administrators,  teachers and police officers assigned to each of the schools located in the nation’s Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.