John Tyson, Jr. Delivers Life And Property Saving Innovations To Citizens And Local Law Enforcement By:

The Disaster Response Team has developed information to inform Gulf Coast residents about the most common crimes that occur after a disaster and how to avoid becoming a victim. These brochures are available at network member businesses.

Download Don't Be A Victim: Scam Prevention Checklist For Home Repairs (pdf file)

Download Don't Be A Victim: Scam Alert: Beware "Gifts" From Strangers (pdf file)

Download Don't Be A Victim: Charity Scam Prevention Checklist (pdf file)

Download Don't Be A Victim: Facts on Post-Hurricane Price Gouging (pdf file)

Download Don't Be A Victim: What to Do if You Think Your Identity Has Been Stolen (pdf file)

Download Don't Be A Victim: Prevent Insurance Problems (pdf file)

Download Don't Be A Victim: Scam Alert: Storm Damaged Autos & Boats (pdf file)

For more information on the Disaster Response network, contact: Martha Tierney/Mobile County District Attorney's Office at 251-574-8400.

The Secret Safe Place Program was born out of tragedy. In 1998, the Mobile County District Attorneys Office convicted a mother and grandmother of murder. The two women drowned the hour-old child in a toilet. They were both sentenced to 25 years in prison. These women didn't want the baby. They saw no alternative besides murder. After the prosecution, Jodi Brooks, a television reporter, asked District Attorney John Tyson, Jr. if his office would waive prosecution for abandonment of new mothers in crisis if they brought their babies unharmed to a safe location such as a hospital emergency room.

Because our office focuses on crime prevention programs as well as aggressive prosecution, we were receptive to the idea and created the Secret Safe Place Program. The program makes two promises. First, if a mother in crisis will bring her newborn unharmed to a designated location, the district attorney's office will not prosecute her for abandonment and will allow her to remain anonymous. Second if a newborn is injured, thrown away or killed, those responsible will be targeted for a determined prosecution. The Secret Safe Place for Newborns concept has caught fire nationally; 47 states have passed similar legislation since the program was founded. The current version of the national "Safe and Stable Families Act," signed into law by President Bush early in 2002, calls for federal funding to establish and expand similar infant safe haven programs nationwide. A Secret Safe Place for Newborns has won both national and state recognition awards as a government innovation that saves lives and prevents violent domestic crime. 18 babies have been saved through the program in Alabama since 1999. John's Secret Safe Place For Newborns program was featured in the book "50 Strategies to Prevent Violent Domestic Crimes" published by the National Crime Prevention Council. Alabama named Secret Safe Place for Newborns its 2002 winner of its Innovations Award, an honor bestowed by the state's child advocacy and social services agencies. Secret Safe Place for Newborns was named a finalist in the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award program sponsored by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Click here for more information about the program at the National Crime Prevention Council website. For more information, contact: Kris Schaffer/Mobile County District Attorney's Office at 251-574-8400.

Mitch Rutledge: 1 burglary, 1 capital murder conviction - life without parole

"I was convicted of murder and robbery. Once they sentenced me to death, it was an experience that I'd never experienced before 'cause I'd been shot at, had guns pulled on me and so on, but I'd never had to sit and wait to die. And in a little 5 x 8 cell, 23.5 hours a day. I was up there right at nine years. I was trying to find some kind of relief. I was trying to make myself right with God. I was trying to make myself right with myself. I was trying to make myself right with people, but yet I could never get the thought of death off my mind and where I'm going, the electric chair."

"If I had anything to tell a young man, I'd tell them this right there, if an individual asking you to violate, think! Sit down and think 'bout the choices that you make. Don't run into it. Don't let money influence you. Don't let the nice car, the tennis shoes, or the girls influence you. Think about your family and think about your future. That's all you gotta do, just sit down and weigh it out before you make decisions. That's all you gotta do. Think before you act."

Click here to request a copy of the Make The Right Choice video and guide.

When a student who was depressed about how other students were treating a friend was found with a book on how to build bombs and some of the ingredients for a bomb in his home, sheriff's deputies could do little because the ingredients could be identified as household items. Because the DA's office was involved in the investigation, we were able to identify a law that allows the sheriff's office to continue their investigation even though the components had not been assembled into a bomb. This potential disaster is not slipping through the cracks because of a technicality in the law.

The principal of a school called when she saw drawings prepared by a 10-year-old student. They showed the school with the names of students he indicated he was going to kill and where he was going to commit suicide. The DA investigator met with the student and the parents. When they didn't respond positively, our investigator worked with the resource officer and the police to arrest this student. He had already alerted the youth center to the situation and the DA attorney at the youth center was working to make sure this student received the help he needed rather than just drifting back into the system.

Read the School Safety Initiative Program Summary (pdf file)

Chronic truancy, absenteeism and tardiness can set the stage for serious criminal behavior by juveniles. In addition, many parents are not aware of their legal responsibility to keep their child in school.

Early Warning Truancy brings juveniles and their parents to the District Attorney's Office so parents can learn their legal responsibility to educate their children, and both parents and juveniles can be advised of the legal consequences if the juvenile doesn't not attend school. A school Attendance Officer explains conduct and attendance policy and answers questions. An Assistant District Attorney makes a compelling presentation about the truancy laws and the consequences of not adhering to the laws, as well as relating examples of local citizens who started commiting crimes following a history of chronic truancy.

If the parent and child does not come to this meeting, they are referred to the juvenile court system and are summoned to appear before a judge.

The number of unexcused absenses per day have substantially decreased since the Early Warning Truancy program has been in place. School Attendance Officers do not file as many formal petitions to refer juveniles to the court system for chronic truancy since many parents are motivated to keep their child in school after attending this meeting.

For more information, contact: Rose Raines/Mobile County Public School System at 251-574-8400.

Misbehavior in school is sometimes a symptom of problems that need more than a law enforcement solution. Catching these problems early enough - and giving families the targeted assistance they need - can help divert an at-risk child from trouble.

The Helping Family Initiative is designed to offer early intervention for at-risk youth whose violation results in suspension, but not an arrest. Arrested students will continue to be processed through the juvenile court and probation system. The Initiative includes a wide range of community agencies and organizations to ensure that students attend school regularly and that schools are safer. Disruptive students and their families get the resources they need to solve problems that interfere with their child's education.

At-risk youth are targeted for services when they are suspended for committing "C", "D" or "E" violations of the Student Code of Conduct. These violations are serious acts that include a wide range of offenses such as bomb threats, assault, robbery, possessing or selling drugs or alcohol, and bringing a gun or switchblade to school.

Here's how the Helping Families Initiative works:

• Any student committing his or her first "C" violation will receive a warning letter from the Mobile County District Attorney's Office. The student's principal and the central office will be notified of the letter. The student and his or her family will be asked to view the "Live Your Freedom" video.
• On the second "C," or the first "D" or "E" violation, the suspended student and his or her parent(s) - as a requirement for readmission to school - must undergo an assessment and agree to participate in an intervention prescribed by the Helping Families Intervention Team. Team members are professionals from local law enforcement, education, juvenile justice, and community social service, health, mental health agencies. Students and families will watch the "Make The Right Choice" video.
• Failure of the student or parent to fully cooperate in the prescribed interventions, or subsequent "C," "D," or "E" violations may result in legal consequences as called for in Alabama laws governing student and parental actions and responsibilities.

Participation is not optional. Disruptive students interfere with the education of law-abiding classmates and erode school safety, and must be held accountable for their actions. If a child chooses to misbehave in school and is suspended, it is the parent's responsibility to help him or her correct that behavior and become reinstated in class. The Helping Families Initiative offers these families the resources of the community to help children to overcome barriers to success in school and in life.

Download Mobile County District Attorney Partners With Schools to Prevent Crime, Help Families (article from Aug/Sep 2005 Alabama School Boards Magazine)

For more information, contact: Jayne Carson/Mobile County District Attorney's Office at 251-574-8400.

"We only have one type of justice and I call it good justice--and that's justice for all people. We have a large number of minority police officers on our police department and our sheriff's department. Minorities are well represented in our community. I think that parents need to instill in our children that the police are there to protect and serve."

Click here to order a copy of the Live Your Freedom videotape and guide.