Criminal Justice Case Study - Brady Johnson is a 6-foot, 2-inch

Criminal Justice

Case Study

Brady Johnson is a 6-foot, 2-inch White male who weighs approximately 260 pounds. He has openly admitted to having a drug problem. During previous prison stays, he attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings, although he claims that he sniffed heroin while in prison. He has been arrested many times for burglary, assault, robbery, and drug possession. In 2008, Johnson went to trial for attempted murder charges but was found not guilty. Eventually, he was imprisoned in the Viking Correctional Center after being convicted on burglary, assault, and possession charges. His sentence was four years. At best, he should be released in October 2012.

Recent DNA advancements linked Johnson to a sexual assault involving a five-year-old female in Bardolph County. An indictment in that county was issued, and the judge in that case ordered him to be held without bond. However, after only 15 months in prison, Johnson was released from the Viking Correctional Center.

According to the prison, a record of the indictment was placed in Johnson’s file by an office clerk but went unnoticed by releasing officers prior to his release. The releasing officers claim they were only provided his personal property information. They have stated that they did not have the opportunity to review his entire file. This is the second offender released after being indicted by the Bardolph County State’s Attorney’s Office. Two months ago, a four-time-convicted rapist was released as a result of miscommunication between the two agencies. Approximately two weeks after his release, he allegedly raped a woman at a bus stop. He is currently being held without bond as he awaits a trial in that incident.

Court records show that the Bardolph County prosecutors had difficulty communicating with the state prison officials about Johnson. The prison had failed on two previous occasions to bring him from the prison for hearings on the sexual assault charges. The district attorney’s office had gone so far as to write a formal letter of complaint to the prison warden. The warden did not respond to the complaint, and as of yet, the correctional facility has not acknowledged receipt of the letter.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is/are the communication barrier(s) in this case? Why do you believe these occurred? 2. Who is at fault—the prison, the prosecutor’s office, the process on which indictments and

release procedures are based, or all of these? Are any other agencies at fault? If fault lies with the procedures, how can these be changed or enhanced to allow for better communication between the agencies?

3. Liability is always an issue in corrections. If Johnson harms someone else while free, who is liable? Why?

4. How could service quality be built into the responses of the prosecutor’s office and the prison? Who are the customers that they serve?