Image by gorodenkoff. OPINION – Californians are concerned about crime. But Californians also know that incarceration cannot make our neighborhoods safe without significant investment in solutions that address the root of these issues.
Image by phakphum patjangkataBy increasing incarceration, Prop 36 would expand a system of what many rightly call modern-day slavery. More bodies in cells means more nearly-free labor for corporations. This is where Prop 6 becomes crucial.
The California State Capitol building in Sacramento, CA. Image by jsolieThe suspense files have been cleared and one major bill package has been too. But there are still two weeks of high intensity action to come in this year’s legislative session.
Image by style-photographyOPINION – In an effort to look tough on retail theft, the California Legislature is considering an action that could eliminate a form of commerce that has long been a lifeline for working-class consumers: the ability to buy and sell used goods through online classifieds.
California's lady justice, image by BreizhAtaoEveryone is talking about Proposition 47 this year. So with that in mind, it’s time for our panel of experts to weigh in. The question: Californians are fed up with crime, and – correctly or not – Proposition 47 is getting much of the blame. Will either lawmakers or voters eventually make substantive changes to this law?
Prop. 47 co-author Lenore Anderson speaks at Capitol Weekly's Conference on Crime. Moderator Emily Hoeven, left; Sheriff Jim Cooper, right. Photo by Joha Harrison, Capitol WeeklyState lawmakers have proposed a series of bills aimed at curbing retail thefts, dealing with opioid abuse and reforming – ever so slightly – California’s landmark Proposition 47. Last week Capitol Weekly brought together a stellar group of lawmakers, law enforcement officials, advocates and others for a deep dive into these serious and complex issues.
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Assemblymembers Rick Zbur (left) and Kevin McCarty (right). Photo by Rich EhisenPerception is often reality in politics and, fairly or not, a series of viral videos showing criminals brazenly shoplifting from California stores has some people thinking the Golden State has become lawless. So with law enforcement and retail interests eyeing another ballot measure to reform Proposition 47, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats have opted to take on the state’s perception problem themselves, and they’re inviting Republicans along for the ride.
Participants in a protest against police use-of-force policies speak with an LAPD officer. (Photo: John Doukas, via Shutterstock)OPINION: The terrible gun violence in Sacramento shows, once again, that we cannot delay our effort to make Californians safer. Sadly, this task is being made harder by individuals making false claims about the incident to advance an incarceration-first agenda that is both ineffective and very expensive.
A gunsmith works on a 300 Blackout AR rifle in a Placerville gun shop.(Photo: SvetlanaSF, via Shutterstock)California may well have the toughest gun laws in the country, but criminals still get automatic weapons and everyday people still head to the gun store in times of trouble. And the pandemic with its parade of woes has motivated thousands of first-time gun buyers. It turns out, while some Californians hoarded toilet paper and hand sanitizer, others bulked up on firepower.
A cell block at Folsom Prison. Photo: Grace2GrowThe stories behind Gov. Jerry Brown’s nine recent sentence commutations reveal tangled lives marked by murder, abuse, addiction and determined efforts by criminals — usually over decades — to turn their lives around. Here are their stories.