Steve Smith
Blog
The Campus Sexual Assault Epidemic – Our laws make it worse
The State of California has released its 2021 annual crime report and crime is up across the board. Of particular concern are the sexual assault statistics. According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, “the rape rate increased 8.6 percent in 2021 (from 33.8 in 2020 to 36.7 in ...
Blog
How a ‘perfect storm’ killed an LA philanthropist
How a ‘perfect storm’ killed an LA philanthropist BY STEVE SMITH The murder of philanthropist Jaqueline Avant, the wife of famed music producer (“The Godfather of Black Music”) Clarence Avant, sent shock waves throughout Los Angeles society. Her death, during a home-invasion robbery on Dec. 1, 2021, not only shattered ...
Blog
Crime in California and the Left/Right Divide
Writing for the LA Times recently, columnist Anita Chabria calls Kern, Merced, and Tulare counties “Trump’s California” and describes Kern as first amongst the “the locales where your chance of being murdered is greatest.” Merced and Tulare round out the top three. She then contrasts them and their conservative district ...
Blog
America’s Homeless Capital
According to USA by Numbers the center of homelessness in America isn’t New York, or Los Angeles, or even San Francisco. It is relatively small Santa Cruz, California.
Blog
Gascón Abandons Victims
Marsalee Ann Nichols, a UC Santa Barbara undergrad, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. One week after her murder, the suspect, Kerry Michael Conley made bail and confronted Marsy’s mother while she was shopping in a grocery store. Their encounter was not a coincidence but was planned by Conley. ...
California
A Crime Like No Other
Elderly parole is intended to further reduce California’s prison population by releasing older inmates no longer deemed to be a threat to public safety. On the face of it, elderly parole seems reasonable. Many inmates do age out of their criminality and the idea that an elderly inmate using a ...
Blog
The War of Misinformation – Police Use of Force
The last several years have brought new focus on police tactics and use of force. The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, during an arrest by former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, shocked the nation’s conscience and led to protests in 140 cities, with some turning violent. Despite ...
Blog
California’s Gun Legislation – The message to crime victims – go get a lawyer
In the wake of the tragic Uvalde and Buffalo shootings, California’s Governor and legislators got busy. Over a dozen gun related anti-crime bills are in circulation and a few have already been signed into law. The new laws are: AB 1621, which requires serial numbers on firearms components and defines ...
Blog
Crime in California 2021 – Yes, we’re still talking about 2021.
On June 28, California Attorney General Rob Bonta reported that a Firearms Dashboard data breach had occurred, releasing the names and personal information for every CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) holder in California. Specifically, the data includes: full name, date of birth, address, gender, race, driver’s license, and CCW license number ...
California
California Crime ‘Reform’ Takes Away Key Tool to Hold Juvenile Killers Accountable
In 2000 California passed Proposition 21 – a ballot proposition aimed at addressing gang violence and allowing prosecutors to hold juveniles accountable as adults for violent crimes. 18 years later, voters reaffirmed their desire to continue to hold juveniles accountable by passing Prop 57, only now the decision is left to a ...
The Campus Sexual Assault Epidemic – Our laws make it worse
The State of California has released its 2021 annual crime report and crime is up across the board. Of particular concern are the sexual assault statistics. According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, “the rape rate increased 8.6 percent in 2021 (from 33.8 in 2020 to 36.7 in ...
How a ‘perfect storm’ killed an LA philanthropist
How a ‘perfect storm’ killed an LA philanthropist BY STEVE SMITH The murder of philanthropist Jaqueline Avant, the wife of famed music producer (“The Godfather of Black Music”) Clarence Avant, sent shock waves throughout Los Angeles society. Her death, during a home-invasion robbery on Dec. 1, 2021, not only shattered ...
Crime in California and the Left/Right Divide
Writing for the LA Times recently, columnist Anita Chabria calls Kern, Merced, and Tulare counties “Trump’s California” and describes Kern as first amongst the “the locales where your chance of being murdered is greatest.” Merced and Tulare round out the top three. She then contrasts them and their conservative district ...
America’s Homeless Capital
According to USA by Numbers the center of homelessness in America isn’t New York, or Los Angeles, or even San Francisco. It is relatively small Santa Cruz, California.
Gascón Abandons Victims
Marsalee Ann Nichols, a UC Santa Barbara undergrad, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. One week after her murder, the suspect, Kerry Michael Conley made bail and confronted Marsy’s mother while she was shopping in a grocery store. Their encounter was not a coincidence but was planned by Conley. ...
A Crime Like No Other
Elderly parole is intended to further reduce California’s prison population by releasing older inmates no longer deemed to be a threat to public safety. On the face of it, elderly parole seems reasonable. Many inmates do age out of their criminality and the idea that an elderly inmate using a ...
The War of Misinformation – Police Use of Force
The last several years have brought new focus on police tactics and use of force. The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, during an arrest by former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, shocked the nation’s conscience and led to protests in 140 cities, with some turning violent. Despite ...
California’s Gun Legislation – The message to crime victims – go get a lawyer
In the wake of the tragic Uvalde and Buffalo shootings, California’s Governor and legislators got busy. Over a dozen gun related anti-crime bills are in circulation and a few have already been signed into law. The new laws are: AB 1621, which requires serial numbers on firearms components and defines ...
Crime in California 2021 – Yes, we’re still talking about 2021.
On June 28, California Attorney General Rob Bonta reported that a Firearms Dashboard data breach had occurred, releasing the names and personal information for every CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) holder in California. Specifically, the data includes: full name, date of birth, address, gender, race, driver’s license, and CCW license number ...
California Crime ‘Reform’ Takes Away Key Tool to Hold Juvenile Killers Accountable
In 2000 California passed Proposition 21 – a ballot proposition aimed at addressing gang violence and allowing prosecutors to hold juveniles accountable as adults for violent crimes. 18 years later, voters reaffirmed their desire to continue to hold juveniles accountable by passing Prop 57, only now the decision is left to a ...
