James “Rick” Crawford earned his BA in Music from Jacksonville State University, AL, and both his Juris Doctor and MA in Political Science from Georgia State University; he is currently completing a Ph.D. in political science at GSU. Upon earning his law degree he served as law clerk to the superior court judges of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit, as Judge of the Municipal Court of Cedartown, Judge of the municipal Court of Rockmart, and as Chief Magistrate Judge of Polk County; he has also worked as an attorney in his own practice for almost twenty years. Mr. Crawford also serves as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, a position to which he was first elected in 2006.

In August, 2011, Mr. Crawford joined the Shorter faculty and is teaching courses in political science (American Government, Congress & legislative Process) and criminal justice (Criminal Investigation, Criminal Procedures).