Blog Jan 22, 2013
Even for violent crimes, longer is not always better
If California hopes to fix its correctional crisis, it needs to broaden its outlook on sentencing reform to address not only low-level offenders, but also those who have committed serious and violent crimes. In my last post , I wrote that such offenders are spending more and more time behind bars, and that much of this increased time is due to harsh sentence enhancements like “Three Strikes and You’re Out” and 10 – 20-Life — “Use a Gun and You’re Done.” These enhancements come at a huge cost to…
Blog Jan 17, 2013
For real prison reform, look beyond the Non-Non-Nons
Last week, while defiantly declaring the end of California’s prison crisis, Gov. Jerry Brown insisted further reductions in prison overcrowding “cannot be achieved without the early release of inmates serving time for serious or violent felonies,” a move that would “jeopardize public safety.” In other words, now that Realignment is sending low-level offenders to local custody instead of state prison, those who remain in prison need to stay there to protect the public. This unfounded…
Blog Jan 15, 2013
Prosecutorial consistency in process
One of the biggest challenges researchers face when analyzing the effectiveness of the justice system is visibility into the world of the District Attorney. While prosecutors are given broad discretionary power, there are very few requirements regarding tracking how they use it and to what end. However, in December 2012 the Vera Institute published the results of its two-year research project, Anatomy of Discretion , shedding light on this topic. Supported by the National Institute of Justice…
“How about we … make guns less sexy so they won’t be considered so cool by young people?” declared Jon Stewart, whose “Daily Show” semi-satiric news commentaries typically bring accolades from progressives. Those familiar with The Daily Show know Stewart often provides profound and original insights from which conventional commentators shrink. In a largely serious January 9 commentary, Stewart zeroed in on the extreme paranoia of a fraction of gun enthusiasts that some…
Blog Jan 10, 2013
The BSCC: A continued promise of oversight
The tapestry of California’s criminal justice system is populated with state agencies, each working to improve corrections and rehabilitation. While frequently unrecognized by an understandably busy public, these agencies nevertheless serve a necessary function. One such body is California’s Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) , which grew out of the abolished Board of Corrections and subsequent Corrections Standards Authority. The stated purpose of the board includes: …