Crime
Blog
Learn about California's rising crime problem
California’s Victim Compensation Board – Helping Victims, or Themselves?
The California crime victimization numbers are staggering. In 2022, the last full year of statistics, violent crime rose 6.1 percent and property crimes rose 6.2 percent. In all – 193,019 people were reported victims of violent crime and there were 902,977 reported property crimes for a total of 1,095,496 crimes. ...
Blog
Read part 3 of 3 part series on Norway's prison system
What Can California Learn from Norway’s Prison System? (Part Three)
Critics of the California (and presumably the entire US) correctional system) often point out that Norwegian correctional staff are not armed, and mix freely with inmates. Inmates attend religious services, practice yoga, sports, vocational skills, attend classes, and officers do not use martial terms or ranks. California’s facilities offer many ...
Blog
Read part 2 of 3 part series on Norway's prison system
Should California Really Be Following Norway’s Lead on Criminal Justice Reform? (Part Two)
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) measures post incarceration conduct three ways: rearrests, reconvictions, and returns to prison. The most recent study, published in April 2023, studies a cohort of inmates released in 2017/18 for a period of three years. A three-year period is generally accepted as adequate ...
Blog
Read part 1 of 3 part series on Norway's prison system
Prisons – California Dreamin’, or a Norwegian Nightmare? (Part One)
Armed with reports of low recidivism rates – and apparently ignorant of California’s own recidivism statistics (except to say they are too high) – Gov. Newsom made reducing recidivism a focal point of his 2023 State of the State tour where one of his first stops was San Quentin Prison. ...
Blog
Crime is out of control in Oakland
And Now, On The Other Side Of The Bay …
San Francisco has become almost as famous for its serial store closings as its cable cars. Popular retailers, including Nordstrom, Whole Foods, Saks Off 5th, Anthropologie and Office Depot are shutting their doors because, well, they just can’t take it anymore. The thieves won. Across the water, on the east ...
Blog
Read about latest soft on crime legislation
SB 2 – A Law in Search of a Crime
The 2022 Crime in California report from the state Attorney General’s office tell us, as the reports have shown for the past three years, that crime continues to rise. Violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over the 2021 figures. Yet, progressive lawmakers have continued to ...
Blog
Read about latest bill to undermine public safety
SB 94 – Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics – Murderers do not “Age Out”
They received those sentences because their crimes are uniquely heinous and include one or more factors known as “special circumstances” that can include, the murder of public safety officers or officials, murders for financial gain, the use of torture, murders of multiple victims, prior convictions for murder, the use of ...
Blog
Read latest on California's growing crime problem
Murders are up – We’re just dying less.
Writing for The Atlantic recently, Jeff Asher predicted that, “The United States may be experiencing one of the largest annual percent changes in murder ever recorded, according to my preliminary data.” That’s a bold statement and will undoubtedly be used to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies around the ...
Blog
To protect and reform: How to fix urban police departments
After the death of George Floyd during a police encounter in Minneapolis three years ago on Memorial Day weekend, it sparked protests both salutary and sanguinary. Peaceful protests sometimes turned violent. And a national soul-searching began, including investigations into police procedures – such as the choke hold that killed Floyd ...
Commentary
Read the latest debate on body-worn cameras
On body-worn cameras and license plate readers, there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy
On June 9, a gunman opened fire on people attending a community block party in the Mission District of San Francisco. The shots hit nine people – five of them seriously. It was one of over 550 gun-related incidents so far recorded in San Francisco this year that has ...
Learn about California's rising crime problem
California’s Victim Compensation Board – Helping Victims, or Themselves?
The California crime victimization numbers are staggering. In 2022, the last full year of statistics, violent crime rose 6.1 percent and property crimes rose 6.2 percent. In all – 193,019 people were reported victims of violent crime and there were 902,977 reported property crimes for a total of 1,095,496 crimes. ...
Read part 3 of 3 part series on Norway's prison system
What Can California Learn from Norway’s Prison System? (Part Three)
Critics of the California (and presumably the entire US) correctional system) often point out that Norwegian correctional staff are not armed, and mix freely with inmates. Inmates attend religious services, practice yoga, sports, vocational skills, attend classes, and officers do not use martial terms or ranks. California’s facilities offer many ...
Read part 2 of 3 part series on Norway's prison system
Should California Really Be Following Norway’s Lead on Criminal Justice Reform? (Part Two)
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) measures post incarceration conduct three ways: rearrests, reconvictions, and returns to prison. The most recent study, published in April 2023, studies a cohort of inmates released in 2017/18 for a period of three years. A three-year period is generally accepted as adequate ...
Read part 1 of 3 part series on Norway's prison system
Prisons – California Dreamin’, or a Norwegian Nightmare? (Part One)
Armed with reports of low recidivism rates – and apparently ignorant of California’s own recidivism statistics (except to say they are too high) – Gov. Newsom made reducing recidivism a focal point of his 2023 State of the State tour where one of his first stops was San Quentin Prison. ...
Crime is out of control in Oakland
And Now, On The Other Side Of The Bay …
San Francisco has become almost as famous for its serial store closings as its cable cars. Popular retailers, including Nordstrom, Whole Foods, Saks Off 5th, Anthropologie and Office Depot are shutting their doors because, well, they just can’t take it anymore. The thieves won. Across the water, on the east ...
Read about latest soft on crime legislation
SB 2 – A Law in Search of a Crime
The 2022 Crime in California report from the state Attorney General’s office tell us, as the reports have shown for the past three years, that crime continues to rise. Violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over the 2021 figures. Yet, progressive lawmakers have continued to ...
Read about latest bill to undermine public safety
SB 94 – Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics – Murderers do not “Age Out”
They received those sentences because their crimes are uniquely heinous and include one or more factors known as “special circumstances” that can include, the murder of public safety officers or officials, murders for financial gain, the use of torture, murders of multiple victims, prior convictions for murder, the use of ...
Read latest on California's growing crime problem
Murders are up – We’re just dying less.
Writing for The Atlantic recently, Jeff Asher predicted that, “The United States may be experiencing one of the largest annual percent changes in murder ever recorded, according to my preliminary data.” That’s a bold statement and will undoubtedly be used to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies around the ...
To protect and reform: How to fix urban police departments
After the death of George Floyd during a police encounter in Minneapolis three years ago on Memorial Day weekend, it sparked protests both salutary and sanguinary. Peaceful protests sometimes turned violent. And a national soul-searching began, including investigations into police procedures – such as the choke hold that killed Floyd ...
Read the latest debate on body-worn cameras
On body-worn cameras and license plate readers, there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy
On June 9, a gunman opened fire on people attending a community block party in the Mission District of San Francisco. The shots hit nine people – five of them seriously. It was one of over 550 gun-related incidents so far recorded in San Francisco this year that has ...
