by Jayson Hawkins
The calls for social justice coming from nearly every city and town in America in 2020 were fueled primarily by two issues. The first was that people of color, often unarmed and without cause, were being killed by law enforcement in the streets and even in their ...
by Jayson Hawkins
Stories about unarmed Black men shot by police make the news, a merciless backdrop against which the conflicts between social justice activists and champions of the status quo play out. The shootings can distract public attention from less telegenic cases of violence that can be just as ...
by Jayson Hawkins
The rules for jury trials vary a great deal from state to state, but one rule that is almost universal is the requirement that the jury’s decision be unanimous. This rule is “almost” universal because two states, Louisiana and Oregon, have historically allowed non-unanimous convictions by juries. ...
by Jayson Hawkins
Like millions of Americans, Teresa Hunter was hit hard by the financial repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic. But what the Hot Springs resident never imagined was that her temporary inability to afford housing could put her behind bars.
Renters in Arkansas face the unique and unfortunate possibility ...
by Jayson Hawkins
Imagine for a moment, you just lost your job. The lack of income might soon push you into homelessness and a host of other troubles. Out of exasperation, you sit down on the curb, head in your hands, trying to figure out what to do. Seeing your ...
by Jayson Hawkins
Traveling with large amounts of cash is perfectly legal, even on a commercial airliner, so Stacy Jones and her husband were unconcerned about putting over $40,000 in their carry-on luggage when they had to cut their casino vacation short. The unsuspecting couple had no fear of robbers, ...
by Jayson Hawkins
There is growing concern across society about the emergence of a surveillance state. The capacity of police to monitor phones, email, and other communication has been highlighted in recent incidents, but the most ubiquitous and invasive form of surveillance is cameras. There are cameras everywhere now – ...
by Jayson Hawkins
A 1999 Michigan state law provided for properties with unpaid taxes to be seized and rapidly resold by county treasurers. While this practice is not uncommon across the nation, a peculiarity of the Michigan statute has proven to have had unforeseen consequences, namely the part that let ...
by Jayson Hawkins
Documentaries about crime, especially murder, have been around for a very long time, but most merely seek to entertain or touch the nerve that compels people to watch tragedy unfold. These documentaries, regardless of whether they are feature-length films or one-hour television programming, typically wrap every element ...
by Jayson Hawkins
One of the many new elements in the recently energized movements for social justice and criminal justice reform is the call to “defund police.” Often misconstrued as a desire to do away with law enforcement altogether, defund advocates are actually focused on changing the way local governments ...
