Crime
Blog
Is Prop. 47 reform in sight?
Prop. 47 Reforms Gain Traction
It doesn’t take a deep understanding of crime statistics to understand that theft is on the increase. The media and social media provide almost daily examples of brazen shoplifting and car burglaries. The San Francisco Chronicle’s auto burglary “tracker” shows hundreds of thefts from vehicles every month and KRON 4 ...
Steve Smith
January 29, 2024
Blog
High Crime in Oakland Claims In-N-Out
Why is In-N-Out Closing in Oakland? Out of Control Crime in the “Crime Triangle”
Last month, In-N-Out, California’s iconic purveyor of burgers and fresh cut fries, opened one of its newest locations in Boise, Idaho. Eager Idahoans waited in eight-hour long lines for what for many was their first Double-Double with fries “animal” style, proving perhaps that not everything from California is bad in ...
Steve Smith
January 23, 2024
Blog
Newsom public safety budget shortchanges crime victims
For California’s Crime Victims – Budget Dust
Despite his protestations to the opposite in the recent debate with Governor DeSantis, California’s violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over their 2021 levels, making California a crime outlier compared to national crime statistics which have dropped. The Governor’s “Real Public Safety Plan” ...
Steve Smith
January 17, 2024
Blog
Despite obvious signs, liberals continue to defend Prop. 47
The Coming 2024 Crime Policy Lollapalooza
One of the best words in the English language is “lollapalooza”. It’s so unique and mellifluous that it could almost be an example of onomatopoeia like clap, boom, bark, or bang. It’s also a popular musical festival and honestly, it’s just fun to say. The word nerd in me was ...
Steve Smith
December 18, 2023
Blog
Prop 47 Never Stood a Chance
Nine years ago, Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 47 – The “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act” – and in so doing affirmed and then reaffirmed in later elections their desire that California both reduce crime and rates of incarceration. This is a tall order for any bureaucracy – and one ...
Steve Smith
December 7, 2023
Blog
Read about rise in crime against seniors
California – It’s No Place for the Old
On Halloween Eve this year a 79-year-old woman was walking along Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica when she was beaten on her head and robbed of her purse by four suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun. An alert witness contacted the police and, thanks to a good ...
Steve Smith
November 27, 2023
Blog
Read latest on fight against fentanyl
A Deal with China on Fentanyl?
According to a story in Reuters: . . . The administration is set to remove restrictions on China’s Institute of Forensic Science in a bid to convince Beijing to step up cooperation to halt the flow of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in the United States. Blocking fentanyl “precursor” chemicals has ...
Steve Smith
November 17, 2023
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. ...
Steve Smith
October 31, 2023
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 ...
Steve Smith
October 17, 2023
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 ...
Steve Smith
October 10, 2023
Is Prop. 47 reform in sight?
Prop. 47 Reforms Gain Traction
It doesn’t take a deep understanding of crime statistics to understand that theft is on the increase. The media and social media provide almost daily examples of brazen shoplifting and car burglaries. The San Francisco Chronicle’s auto burglary “tracker” shows hundreds of thefts from vehicles every month and KRON 4 ...
High Crime in Oakland Claims In-N-Out
Why is In-N-Out Closing in Oakland? Out of Control Crime in the “Crime Triangle”
Last month, In-N-Out, California’s iconic purveyor of burgers and fresh cut fries, opened one of its newest locations in Boise, Idaho. Eager Idahoans waited in eight-hour long lines for what for many was their first Double-Double with fries “animal” style, proving perhaps that not everything from California is bad in ...
Newsom public safety budget shortchanges crime victims
For California’s Crime Victims – Budget Dust
Despite his protestations to the opposite in the recent debate with Governor DeSantis, California’s violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over their 2021 levels, making California a crime outlier compared to national crime statistics which have dropped. The Governor’s “Real Public Safety Plan” ...
Despite obvious signs, liberals continue to defend Prop. 47
The Coming 2024 Crime Policy Lollapalooza
One of the best words in the English language is “lollapalooza”. It’s so unique and mellifluous that it could almost be an example of onomatopoeia like clap, boom, bark, or bang. It’s also a popular musical festival and honestly, it’s just fun to say. The word nerd in me was ...
Prop 47 Never Stood a Chance
Nine years ago, Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 47 – The “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act” – and in so doing affirmed and then reaffirmed in later elections their desire that California both reduce crime and rates of incarceration. This is a tall order for any bureaucracy – and one ...
Read about rise in crime against seniors
California – It’s No Place for the Old
On Halloween Eve this year a 79-year-old woman was walking along Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica when she was beaten on her head and robbed of her purse by four suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun. An alert witness contacted the police and, thanks to a good ...
Read latest on fight against fentanyl
A Deal with China on Fentanyl?
According to a story in Reuters: . . . The administration is set to remove restrictions on China’s Institute of Forensic Science in a bid to convince Beijing to step up cooperation to halt the flow of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in the United States. Blocking fentanyl “precursor” chemicals 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 ...