GBI budget cuts cripple criminal justice in Georgia
A recent article by my friend Joe Johnson in the Athens Banner Herald reports that the GBI is cutting services again. This time, the cuts go right to the heart of the GBI's mission - regional crime labs and forensic services.
For years, Georgia's elected officials have chopped away at the GBI, reducing the once well-regarded agency to an afterthought. That is a big mistake.
For the most part, the GBI is much better equipped to handle complicated criminal cases than local sheriffs and municipal police departments. Better investigations lead to better cases, and fewer innocent people being charged with crimes they did not commit. A state-wide professional police agency benefits everyone involved in the process - prosecutors, criminal defense lawyers, and, most importantly, defendants and crime victims.
I sincerely hope all Georgians will support professional law enforcement and ask their legislator to strengthen the GBI and adequately fund its mandate. Georgia deserves no less than the best when it comes to fighting crime and protecting the innocent.
