DrPrison

Election 2012: Jails, probation benefit from Prop. 30

2012-11-13T18:01:00.002-08:00

Election 2012: Jails, probation benefit from Prop. 30 Funds are guaranteed for county public safety. By Kurtis Alexander- The Fresno Bee Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012 | 11:58 PM When voters passed Proposition 30 last week, schools were seen as the big winners, but they're not the only ones. Jails and probation offices got a boost too. The tax measure widely celebrated as a windfall for education includes a guarantee of public-safety funding for counties -- to manage the influx of criminals that the state has been shifting into county hands. Under Gov. Jerry Brown's year-old realignment program, counties now oversee low-level inmates and parolees once handled by the state. Money has been of top concern with the shift, as county leaders have struggled to beef up jails, probation programs and rehab services to oversee the additional offenders. "This funding guarantee is huge," said Linda Penner, Fresno County's chief probation officer. "I had a lot of confidence that Gov. Brown would provide money for our new responsibilities, but what if we got a new governor and a new Legislature? Absent this governor, we'd be at risk." Like Penner, many law enforcement leaders worried that managing extra criminals would become an unfunded mandate: State leaders would require the additional work, but not provide the money. While not everyone is happy about realignment, most are pleased that at least now it comes with the promise of cash. The Brown-sponsored Prop. 30 includes a constitutional amendment sending a slice of existing sales tax dollars and vehicle license fees to counties to cover realignment costs. More notably, the proposition increased the state sales tax and income tax to generate as much as $6 billion a year, most of it pledged for schools. Adding public-safety funding to the mix not only helped Brown honor his commitment to realignment but helped win broader support for the tax measure, which passed with 54% of Tuesday's vote. "Gov. Brown brought everybody to the table and very adroitly explained this is going to be good for everyone," said Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin, who was president of the California State Sheriff's Association when the group met with the governor about the initiative. This fiscal year, roughly $850 million will come to counties for the realignment, an amount expected to increase to more than $1 billion next year. Funding in future years will be proportional to state tax revenues. Counties are free to spend the money on their new criminal populations as they see fit. Brown introduced the realignment as a way to reduce overcrowding in state prisons. Because of it, county jails and probation departments have ended up with tens of thousands more felons under their watch. While Prop. 30 has been widely praised by the law-enforcement community, it hasn't solved all of the financial concerns associated with realignment. Many believe that the state money has fallen short. The financial problems have been particularly acute in the Valley, where local leaders say they haven't gotten their fair share of realignment funds. "We have greater protection that money will flow. Now it's about how we allocate that money among the 58 counties in a more equitable fashion," said John Navarrette, Fresno County's top executive. The formula that divvies out state realignment funding changed this year, and the 12 counties between Kern and San Joaquin ended up with a smaller percentage. Seven of nine Bay Area counties, by comparison, are getting a larger chunk. Leaders in Sacramento said the new distribution of realignment funds is not meant to hurt Valley counties. It's meant to help counties that already are lessening the state's prison load by investing in diversion programs. Programs such as electronic monitoring, house arrest and rehabilitation help divert people from prisons and cut down on repeat offenders. This week, the Kern County Board of Supervisors is expected to pass a resolution protesting the latest round of funding. A similar resolution is expected to go before Fresno County supervisors in December.

California's prison population eclipsed by Texas

2012-06-13T20:47:00.001-07:00

California's prison population eclipsed by Texas By DON THOMPSON, The Associated Press Wednesday, June 13, 2012 ArticleComments SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Everything is bigger in Texas, the saying goes, and that is now also true of that state's prison system. California used to have the nation's largest state prison system, with 173,000 inmates at its peak in 2006. But the state has sharply reduced its prison population since a law took effect last year shifting responsibility for less serious criminals to county jails. California now has fewer than 136,000 state inmates, while Texas has 154,000. The news comes as California corrections officials on Wednesday announced a new round of layoffs. They say fewer guards and other employees are needed as the inmate population shrinks. The inmate reduction was ordered by federal judges, who ruled that crowded prisons were causing poor care of sick and mentally ill inmates.

Bill to Require Affluent Criminals to Reimburse State for Incarceration

2012-06-10T17:31:00.002-07:00

Bill to Require Affluent Criminals to Reimburse State for Incarceration SACRAMENTO, CA – New legislation by Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) would require a court to order a criminal to reimburse the state for the cost of his or her incarceration if they are able. SB 1124 would lessen the stress on our state budget by defraying the costs of prison stays of those who have the resources to pay. “We hear about a Millionaire’s Tax, but what about the millionaires that we are paying to incarcerate? If someone convicted of a crime can afford to pay for their prison time, they should,” said Senator Cannella. “It’s unfair that we are making cuts to vital parts of the state budget that affect our most vulnerable, when many inmates who have the means to pay, stay free-of-charge.” The annual cost of incarcerating an inmate in a California state prison has more than doubled over the last twenty years. The bill would require a defendant to file a financial disclosure statement in order for the courts to determine the ability to pay for incarceration. While the courts currently have the authority to compel disbursement from a convicted defendant to the state for these expenses, this power is rarely used. “The California District Attorneys Association supports this effort to provide additional funding for our criminal justice system,” said Chief Executive Officer Scott Thorpe. “With the substantial new responsibilities that come with incarcerating more offenders locally, it is critically important that convicted defendants contribute toward the costs of the time they spend behind bars.” http://www.losbanoslive.com/paper/?p=956 Dutra's - The Paper Cannella Bill to Require Affluent Criminals to Reimburse State for Incarceration

How Inmates Manipulate the Staff

2012-06-10T16:30:00.003-07:00

How to Work with Inmate Patients Part III: Watch for These Techniques Posted by Lorry Schoenly June 5, 2012 Inmates who seek to manipulate and control staff members use some common techniques to select their victims and start a con. Be on guard for these behaviors in your inmate patients and don’t be surprised when one of these techniques is used on you. Inmates can intentionally target vulnerable staff members and watch for an opportunity to intervene to their benefit. They have time to watch staff members and their interactions with other staff and inmates. Conversations and actions can be carefully prepared for maximum effect. They will, in particular, seek to compromise staff by seeing how far they can be moved to break rules. Even the smallest of rule infractions can be leveraged to their advantage. Requests can include a minor contraband item such as a bandaid or an alcohol wipe. They may ask for medication for a headache when the rule is to request a sick call appointment. This is why it is so important to fully understand security rules and be able to interpret them in various healthcare interactions. In particular, inmates will watch staff to determine weaknesses in how they perform their duties. For example, staff members will be observed for indications they are not satisfied with their job or have sloppy work habits. Staff who regularly arrive late to work, are easily distractible, or disgruntled are targets for inmate manipulation. Clothing and appearance also speak to a staff member’s attention to detail and interest in professional behaviors. Once a staff member is selected as a victim, a turn-out will begin. This can take place at an intentionally planned time or an opportunity may present itself based on a situation. In all cases, the turn-out takes place after successfully developing a relationship with staff through small requests, intimacies and favors such as ‘protecting’ the staff member (See Part I of this series). Once compromised the staff member is given a shopping list of contraband items desired by the inmate. If the victim refuses they are reminded of their many other rule infractions that will now be reported. Often staff are convinced this is a one-time request and they comply. However, this is the beginning of a long spiral downward into deeper and deeper compromise. Once at this point, staff have three options. Many comply; some resign their positions or transfer; a few self-report. Self-report is always the best, though hardest, choice to make. Be prepared and ever alert when providing nursing care to inmate patients. Not all of your patients are seeking staff victims, but some can be. Do you have an inmate patient story to share? How do you respond to these behaviors? Share your thoughts in the comment section of this post. Information in this series comes from a presentation given by Lori Roscoe, PhD, MPA, BSN, CCHP-RN at the Nursing Forum of the 2012 National Conference of the American Correctional Health Services Association (ACHSA). Dr. Roscoe is Executive Director of Clinical Services at CorrectHealth Companies and has great information for correctional nurses at her website The Correctional Nurse Educator.

How the innocent end up in prison

2012-06-10T16:27:00.001-07:00

How the innocent end up in prison frhee@sacbee.com PUBLISHED SUNDAY, JUN. 10, 2012 Join the Conversation: Should additional reforms be made in California to prevent wrongful convictions and help those who are exonerated? To send a letter, go to www.sacbee.com/sendletter or go to our Facebook page. David Quindt can't escape the 15 months he spent in Sacramento County jail for a murder he didn't commit. He moved all the way to Hawaii for a fresh start, yet he doesn't want to completely forget. Each semester, he tells his story to law school students to "open their eyes" about how criminal justice in America can go terribly wrong. Now, Quindt has his own little piece of the new National Registry of Exonerations, the most complete database of its kind ever, about 900 cases since 1989 – and counting. These exonerations "point to a much larger number of tragedies that we do not know about" because there are many more people who are falsely convicted but aren't able to exonerate themselves, say those who compiled the registry at the University of Michigan and Northwestern University law schools. The registry is a big deal to those who try to help wrongly convicted people, and rightly so. They say it documents that there are common problems that cause the vast majority of false convictions: mistaken identifications by eyewitnesses, unfounded accusations and misconduct by law enforcement. "Here is proof," says Jeff Chinn, associate director of the California Innocence Project. While this is an immensely complicated issue, he and other advocates argue convincingly that there are some relatively simple, inexpensive solutions that could prevent many wrongful convictions, such as videotaping interrogations, changing identification procedures and improving training for police and prosecutors. Many of the fixes have the support of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which plans a summit on the issue in August. Those who unveiled the registry May 21 and issued a report analyzing the cases call for police, prosecutors and defense lawyers to work together to reduce false convictions. That doesn't seem too much to ask. Yes, we have an adversarial system of justice, but all sides should be able to agree that these miscarriages of justice are doubly devastating – innocent people lose years of their lives and the guilty go unpunished. Not everyone, though, is convinced that the registry is a call to action. National prosecutor groups are questioning whether the "exonerations" involve truly innocent people and argue that mistakes are rare and almost always unintentional. District Attorney Jan Scully, Sacramento County's top prosecutor for 18 years, says while such efforts are "laudable," they are also misleading because the rate of wrongful convictions is "infinitesimal," given how many criminal cases are filed each year. She worries that such reports can undermine public confidence in the justice system's integrity. In particular, she disputes that two of the three Sacramento County cases cited in the report are really exonerations, as the average person would understand the definition. • Case No. 1: Among "group exonerations" – not counted in the registry total – the report mentions the 2010 dismissal of drunken driving and other charges against 79 defendants because former Sacramento Police Officer Brandon Mullock is alleged to have mishandled the DUI stops and falsified reports. Scully, however, doesn't consider those drivers to be "exonerated" because they were in all likelihood guilty. She just couldn't make the charges stick without a credible witness. • Case No. 2: Gloria Marie Killian was found guilty of first-degree murder in a 1981 home invasion in Rosemont. In 2002, after 16 years in prison, she was granted a new trial by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that a prosecutor used perjured testimony and withheld evidence. Scully declined to put Killian on trial again, mainly because she was already eligible for parole and because key witnesses had died. But that doesn't mean she was innocent, the district attorney says. • Case No. 3: Quindt was convicted and faced a life sentence in the 1998 shooting death of 18-year-old Patrick Riley Haeling. A 15-year-old girl inside the Fair Oaks home identified Quindt as one of the gunmen, but another man later confessed. Scully agrees this is an exoneration. But she points out that Quindt was freed only through the efforts of one of her deputies, Mark Curry. He prosecuted Quindt, then after the trial, pursued an anonymous tip that led to the arrest of three new suspects, who were all later convicted or pleaded guilty. "The system worked," Scully told me. Reforms stymied in California Questions about whether the system works well enough have percolated for years in California. The California Innocence Project, created in 1999 at California Western School of Law in San Diego, has helped exonerate 10 people, most recently Brian Banks, a Long Beach high school football star whose rape conviction was dismissed last month and who is now trying out for the NFL. The Northern California Innocence Project at Santa Clara University's law school has 11 exonerees to its credit since starting in 2001. In 2004, the Legislature created the state Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice to study wrongful convictions and find ways to prevent them. Before disbanding in 2008, it made a series of recommendations, but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed bills to turn them into law. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed one reform suggested by the panel. Senate Bill 687 says a defendant can't be convicted based solely on the uncorroborated testimony of jailhouse informants, who are often unreliable. Some states and cities have reformed their eyewitness identification procedures, including "double-blind" lineups in which the officer conducting them doesn't know which of the photos or people is the suspect. But Scully, like some prosecutors, isn't convinced that such an overhaul would lead to a major improvement. She does agree with another of the exoneration report's recommendations – video recording interrogations to prevent false confessions. Recordings are standard in serious cases, she says. For more than a decade, Scully's office has worked with attorneys and the Innocence Project to do DNA testing when they present evidence casting doubt on a conviction. Since 2001, there have been 39 requests, but so far no exonerations. Like some other district attorneys, Scully also keeps a confidential list of law enforcement officers whose credibility is in question because of past transgressions. Senior staffers decide what to do when a case involves an officer on the list, which now includes 46 current and former officers from nine different agencies. Depending how crucial that officer's testimony is, Scully's office can decline to file charges, dismiss a case or disclose the issue to the defense and proceed. With those safeguards in place, Scully says she doesn't need a formal "conviction integrity unit" like those in some places, including Santa Clara County. "My whole office is an integrity unit," she says. Virginia Hench, a University of Hawaii law professor who brings Quindt in to speak, credits Scully's office for admitting it made a mistake in his case. "They usually fight tooth and nail," she says. Hench, who helped start the Hawaii Innocence Project, says her students learn a lot from Quindt. "It's pretty powerful to meet someone who went through that experience," she told me. After release from prison, then what? Like many of those exonerated, Quindt did not live happily ever after. The wrongly convicted often get less financial aid and other help than those who are guilty and paroled. That doesn't make sense. The fair justice commission called for more services to reintegrate them into society, including housing, clothing, job counseling and a cash allowance. Some of those who are exonerated receive compensation from the state if they were wrongly imprisoned. Quindt collected $17,200 – $100 for each of the 172 days he spent in jail after his conviction. He wanted $45,800, which also included his time behind bars awaiting trial. Some advocates for the exonerated say the maximum compensation ought to increase and claim the state Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board is too stingy in deciding these awards. Of 71 cases since 2000, the board has denied 48 claims and approved only 11, with payments totaling $3.6 million. Another 12 cases are pending. Quindt quickly spent his award and could have used additional assistance. "It's been a tough road," he told me. After twice attempting suicide while in custody, he walked out of jail in May 2000 and then had a bout with depression and had trouble finding work. Six months after his release, he walked into a robbery in progress at a Carmichael liquor store and was hit in the head with a beer bottle. Quindt testified and two men were convicted. After marrying his childhood sweetheart, Christy, things started looking up when he got work as a roofer and a mechanic. But he hurt his back and says he has been on disability ever since. In 2003, Quindt moved his family to Hawaii, where he just turned 35 and now has three children. "I just had to get away from all the trouble and all that happened to me," he told me. But trouble followed him. He says he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder from his jail time. In March, he was stabbed by a man he was trying to help in a drug outreach program and almost died. "I have bad luck," Quindt says, in what seems to be a colossal understatement. "I'm not really bitter. … It's just really sad." But wrongful convictions aren't a matter of mere bad luck. There are sensible steps that police and prosecutors across California ought to consider to avoid more David Quindts. IN PURSUIT OF INNOCENCE For more information about the National Registry of Exonerations, Innocence Projects in California and the administration of justice, go to: • National Registry of Exonerations: www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration • Northern California Innocence Project: http://law.scu.edu/ncip • California Innocence Project: www.californiainnocenceproject.org • California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice: www.ccfaj.org © Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/10/4549082/the-conversation-how-the-innocent.html

Inmates sue over Pelican Bay 'sensory deprivation'

2012-06-03T14:33:00.001-07:00

Inmates sue over Pelican Bay 'sensory deprivation' Bob Egelko Friday, June 1, 2012 Ten inmates held in isolation at California's Pelican Bay State Prison for more than a decade sued the state Thursday, saying their conditions - which deprived them of virtually all human contact and any meaningful chance for release - violate international standards against torture and inhumane treatment. The prolonged solitary confinement in the North Coast prison's Security Housing Unit is the harshest anywhere in the nation and "strips human beings of their basic dignity and humanity," the inmates said in a federal court suit in Oakland. A proposed class action on behalf of the unit's 1,000 inmates - half of whom have been there for more than a decade - seeks court orders limiting their stay in the unit to 10 years, requiring regular review and barring what the suit described as "sensory deprivation" and "environmental deprivation." The prison in a remote area of Del Norte County houses inmates classified as security risks, mostly because of gang activity. The suit said they are held in windowless concrete cells at least 22 1/2 hours a day, are fed through a slot, have no access to prison vocational or educational programs, sleep on a concrete bed with a lumpy mattress, and can be punished for trying to speak to other inmates. Most inmates have never been charged with gang-related conduct behind bars, their lawyers said, and are kept in the Security Housing Unit on flimsy evidence - a tattoo, some artwork in their possession, shaking hands with the wrong person, or inclusion in an undisclosed list by an unidentified informant. They said authorities have told them that the only way out of the unit is to "debrief'" - admit their gang ties and become an informer on other members. "We have been told repeatedly by prisoners that they are faced with a stark choice: debrief or die" in the security unit, said attorney Alexis Agathocelous of the Center for Constitutional Rights. The suit also alleged that state officials have adopted an unofficial but binding policy of denying parole to otherwise eligible prisoners while they are in the security unit. One inmate, George Ruiz, 69, placed in a security unit 28 years ago as a gang member, has been eligible for parole since 1993, but has been told repeatedly by parole boards that he will never be released while housed in the unit, the suit said. Asked about the suit, Jeffrey Callison, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said, "We do not have solitary confinement in California prisons." He noted that the inmates are allowed to have visitors on weekends and also have contact with prison staff. That is "preposterous," replied Agathocelous. Although prisoners can have two two-hour visits per weekend, he said, they can speak to their visitors only through Plexiglas and are prohibited from physical contact. The same complaints were the subject of two prison hunger strikes last summer and fall that spread to more than 6,000 inmates in 13 prisons. Afterward, state officials said they would ease some restrictions on prisoners' activities and on transfers out of security units, but inmates' representatives said Thursday the changes have been minimal. "Prison authorities have given them a handball in the recreation area, and prisoners can buy colored pencils" for artwork, said Marilyn McMahon, executive director of the advocacy group California Prison Focus. "But the major demand was to stop debriefing. The department has made it clear that they have no intention of ending that." Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: begelko@sfchronicle.com http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/01/BAEL1OR08L.DTL This article appeared on page C - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

WANTED for Felony hit and run

2012-03-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

WANTED for Felony hit and run [20001(a) VC] Suspect: Carrasco, Primitivo Reyes

Suspect: Carrasco, Primitivo Reyes
Sex: M
Descent: Hispanic
Height: 5'11
Weight: 175
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Date of Birth: Jun 9, 1976
Age in 1996: 20
DR#: 96-0128086
NCIC#: W804408851

WANTED FOR: Felony hit and run [20001(a) VC]

On December 27, 1996, at 0645 hours, the suspect was driving his vehicle eastbound on 9th Street when his vehicle collided with P-2, Sang Kim walking northbound in a crosswalk. As a result of the accident, Sang Kim sustained internal brain hemorrhaging and fractured ribs. The suspect failed to stop and identify himself or render aid to the victim.

On March 21, 1997, Sang Kim died as a result of his injuries sustained from the traffic collision. An arrest warrant for Felony Hit and Run resulting in death was issued for the suspect.

Several attempts to locate and serve the arrest warrant have failed. The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating the suspect.

The suspect's last known address is 631 South Bonnie Brae, #212, Los Angeles Ca.

The suspect has prior addresses of 5809 Loma Vista Ave., #15, Maywood, Ca and 4500 Stover Street, #4, Collins, Co.

The suspect also has a misdemeanor warrant No. 854037419420 charging 40508 (A) VC Violation of Promise to Appear) and misdemeanor warrant No. 869562719420 charging 40508 (A) VC.

CONTACT INFO

If you have information on this person contact:

Detective III Josephine Mapson, CTD, at 213-972-1840, or 213-972-1825. Also call the Central Traffic Watch Commander at 213-972-1853. During off hours call the 24-hour toll free number at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).

WARNING: THIS INDIVIDUAL IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPREHEND SUSPECT YOURSELF. IF SEEN, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POLICE STATION ASAP.
For full details, view this message on the web.

City Inspector Distraction Burglaries

2012-03-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

Distraction Burglaries in West LA. Susp Poses As City Inspector, Tricks Victim into their backyard, suspect-2 entered house, steals.

THE WEST LOS ANGELES AREA HAS BEEN PLAGUED YEAR TO DATE WITH SIX RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES WHERE A MALE INDIVIDUAL POSES AS A CITY INSPECTOR, CONSTRUCTION WORKER OR DWP EMPLOYEE IN ORDER TO COERCE RESIDENT OUT OF THEIR HOUSE WHILE A SECOND INDIVIDUAL ENTERS THE RESIDENCE AND STEALS PROPERTY,

MOSTLY JEWELRY. THESE CRIMES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE 2700 BLOCK BAGLEY AVE, 1800 BLOCK BARRY AVE, 1600 BLOCK COMSTOCK AVE, 1900 BLOCK ARMACOST AVE,
10300 BLOCK KEWSICK AVE AND 1500 BLOCK KELTO0N AVE.

THESE INDIVIDUALS WORK IN GROUPS OF TWO OR MORE AND MOST TIMES THE INDIVIDUAL DISTRACTING THE RESIDENCE'S OCCUPANT WILL BE TALKING ON A CELL PHONE OR WALKIE/TALKIE, MOST LIKELY TO THE SECOND SUSPECT. BE AWARE OF ANY UNFAMILIAR INDIVIDUAL IN YOUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD KNOCKING DOOR TO DOOR AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE YOU IN CONVERSATION REGARDING POSSIBLE HOME REPAIR, TREE TRIMMING
OR BROKEN WATER PIPES. ALWAYS ASK ANY INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS A CITY OR
UTILITY WORKER FOR IDENTIFICATION.

CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SUSPECT AN INDIVIDUAL AT
YOUR DOOR IS FRADULENT. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THESE INDIVIDUALS OR DISTRACTION-TYPE ACTIVITIES, PLEASE CALL THE WEST LOS ANGELES BURGLARY DETECTIVES AT THE NUMBER LISTED BELOW.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT WEST LOS ANGELES BURGLARY DETECTIVES AT (310) 444-1524 OR (310) 444 -1522.
Instructions:
CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SUSPECT AN INDIVIDUAL AT YOUR DOOR IS FRADULENT. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THESE INDIVIDUALS OR DISTRACTION-TYPE ACTIVITIES, PLEASE CALL THE WEST LOS ANGELES BURGLARY DETECTIVES AT THE NUMBER LISTED BELOW. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT WEST LOS ANGELES BURGLARY DETECTIVES AT (310) 444-1524 OR (310) 444 -1522.
For full details, view this message on the web.

Social Host Under Age Drinking Party

2012-03-06T13:32:00.002-08:00

Community: Santee Sheriff's Station invites you to a Social Host Ordinance Forum

For many students, spring break is a carefree time away from classroom pressures. Unfortunately, for many it is also a time of excessive drinking. The Sheriff’s Department wants to remind the public that it’s against the law to host underage drinking parties and to allow minors to drink.

A school resource officer from the Santee Sheriff’s Station is hosting a forum on Social Host Ordinance for parents and students of the Grossmont Union High School District.

The meeting is on Thursday, March 8th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at West Hills High School (Room S-8) 8756 Mast Boulevard, Santee.

This is an opportunity for parents to clearly understand the law. Deputy Janine Alioto will give a presentation and is available to answer questions from parents.

A social host does not have to be 21 years of age to be in violation of the law. The homeowner or property owner can be held liable for cost recovery. Social host violations carry a fine of $1,000 on the first offense. Second and subsequent violations carry a fine of $2,000 or up to 32 hours of community service or up to 6 months in jail. You may also be held liable for injuries sustained by third parties as a result of the minor guest’s negligence. A social host can also be liable for the cost of responding law enforcement services.
Contact Information:
Teri Sprecco
Grossmont Union School District
619-956-0422

340-Ton Megalith Set to Travel thru LA

2012-03-02T11:29:00.002-08:00

340-Ton Megalith Set to Travel thru LA County Beginning Fri, Mar. 2. @LACMA

County of Los Angeles Chief Executive Office
Office of Emergency Management

340-TON MEGALITH SET TO TRAVEL THROUGH L.A. COUNTY OPERATIONAL AREA BEGINNING ON FRIDAY MARCH 2, 2012

LOS ANGELES (Thu., March 1, 2012) -- The 340-ton megalith—a large stone used to construct a structure or monument—will serve as the centerpiece of artist Michael Heizer’s artwork “Levitated Mass,” is scheduled to roll through Los Angeles County Operational Area (LACOA) cities and unincorporated area communities beginning on Fri., March 2.

The megalith’s journey began after leaving the Stone Valley Materials Quarry in Riverside County on Feb. 28. For the next eight days, the megalith will travel through 20 LACOA cities and unincorporated area communities, including Carson, Cerritos, Industry, Diamond Bar, Downey, Gardena, Hacienda Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Los Nietos, Norwalk, Rancho Dominguez, Santa Fe Springs, South Whittier, Torrance, West Carson Westmont and Whittier.

Follow the route:

http://www.lacma.org/levitated-mass-map

Teen Driver Deaths Increase in 2011. First Increase in Eight Years Raises Concerns

2012-02-20T12:41:00.001-08:00

New Study: Teen Driver Deaths Increase in 2011. First Increase in Eight Years Raises Concerns

News Release - Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)

Excerpt:

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A report released... by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveals that the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths in passenger vehicles increased slightly for the first six months of 2011... Overall, 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths increased... 11 percent increase...

..."Troy E. Costales, Chairman of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), said, “While it is good news that overall deaths appear to have declined during the first six months of 2011, we are concerned that the trend with teens is going in the opposite direction,” He continued, “As the report notes, a widespread strengthening of laws is still possible and finding effective tools outside of GDL is an important goal. These include improving driver education and involving parents in proactively establishing safe driving habits for their teens.”

Chairman Costales added, “As the parent of a young driver and a soon-to-be-driver, I know firsthand the pressures parents face in allowing their teens behind the wheel. As parents, we must set and enforce strict rules for our new drivers, making sure risks are minimized. This includes limiting other teens in the car, limiting nighttime driving and absolutely prohibiting any type of cell phone or electronic device use while driving...”

Read more here:

http://www.ghsa.org/html/media/pressreleases/2012/20120216_teens.html

Twitter @GHSAHQ
http://www.facebook.com/GHSAhq?sk=wall

* Teenage Driver Fatalities by State: 2011 Preliminary Data
Published Feb. 2012

http://www.ghsa.org/html/publications/spotlight/teens2011.html

* Distracted Driving: What Research Shows and What States Can Do

http://www.ghsa.org/html/publications/sfdist.html

* Occupant Protection for Children - Best Practices Manual

http://www.ghsa.org/html/publications/OPC/index.html

* The Mission of the California Office of Traffic Safety is to effectively and efficiently administer traffic safety grant funds to reduce traffic deaths, injuries, and economic losses.

Texting/Talking While Driving - Crackdown on Distracted Driving

2012-02-15T13:04:00.001-08:00

Crackdown on Distracted Driving

Join the Sheriff's Department's It's not Worth It campaign this February. Texting while driving is not only a danger to yourself, but to everyone else on the road around you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finds drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves or others. Deputies will be out in force during this campaign period to ensure drivers are not engaging in this deadly behavior.

•The fine for a first offense of texting or using a hand-held cell phone while driving is $159 or more, with subsequent violations being much higher.

The Sheriff's Department encourages you to devote your full attention to driving when behind the wheel. Distracted driving - "It's not Worth It."

Missing Person Mary Ann Abdi

2011-11-29T15:57:00.001-08:00

11/29/11 Missing Person Mary Ann Abdi

Mary Ann Abdi (01-01-85) was last seen when she was dropped off at City College downtown San Diego on 11/29/11 at 9:00am. She is described as a Somalian female, 5'7', 110 lbs, black hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a black traditional Somali robe, unknown color head wrap and a red jacket. Anyone with information call the San Diego Police Department at 619-531-2000.
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Stolen Laptop recovered, Suspect's Facebook photo on tracking software

2011-11-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

Laptop stolen from home, recovered when detectives see Suspect's Facebook photo on tracking software

A reported burglary of two laptop computers and a Play Station 3 from a home in Rancho Palos Verdes on October 20, 2011 has resulted in the arrest of a suspect.

The homeowners were puzzled and could not figure out how someone was able to get into their home, steal their property, and get away, since there was no sign of forced entry into the house.
The owners reported the thefts to the Lomita Sheriff’s Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

What the suspect didn’t know was that one of the stolen laptop computers was embedded with a “LoJack for Laptops” theft recovery software. The company’s monitoring center was notified of the theft by the owners and the monitoring company kept in close contact with the handling sheriff’s investigator, Sheriff's Detective Chuck Braden.

The monitored laptop was also equipped with photo recognition software. When the suspect in possession of the stolen laptop realized he could not logon to the computer, he had a completely new operating system installed and the photo recognition software removed. He incorrectly thought the embedded monitoring software had been removed, but it is very difficult to remove it.

On November 4, the suspect used the laptop to logon to Facebook. This enabled the monitoring company to gather the suspect’s personal information, including a photo of him, his name, and more. This was given to the sheriff’s investigator.

Detective Braden showed the photo of the suspect to the victims and they immediately recognized him as an unlicensed contractor who had done work at their home two months prior. The victim recalled giving the suspect access to a spare key so he could work in the residence while they were away. They did not know him by his true name, they only knew him as “Pepe.”

It is believed the suspect likely made a duplicate of the spare key and used it to commit the home burglary months later.

Detective Braden was able to locate and identify the suspect as Jose Miguel Ramirez, a 22-year old San Pedro resident. He convinced the suspect to bring the laptop computer to the Lomita Sheriff’s Station on Friday, November 18.

When Suspect Ramirez reported to the station with the stolen laptop computer he was arrested for Residential Burglary (Felony), initially with a $50,000.00 bail. His status was later changed to held without bail due to a felony immigration hold by U.S. Customs.

While the laptop with the tracking software was recovered, investigators are still seeking the other items. “The victims told me that when they bought their laptops, they discussed whether or not they should add tracking software to them,” said Detective Braden. “One got it against the advice of the other. That one got the laptop back.”

Detectives Use Craigslist to Track Teen Car Burglars

2011-11-23T19:39:00.001-08:00

Detectives Use Craigslist to Track Down Saugus Teen Car Burglars. $50K in stolen property recovered.

Detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Burglary and Fraud team tracked down two juveniles believed to be responsible for at least sixteen vehicle burglaries in the Saugus area of Santa Clarita over the past two months.

The detectives got the break they needed after they located some of the stolen property on Craiglist, a popular Internet resale Website.

Detectives placed a call indicating they wanted to purchase some of the items. One of the unsuspecting subjects met deputies at a local shopping center. Team members moved in to take him into custody after confirming he was in possession of some of the stolen items. That subject, male age 16, of Saugus was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station on felony burglary charges. He was later released to his parents on a citation pending future court proceedings.

Information obtained during the arrest led deputies to a home in the 22800 block of Tamarack Lane, Saugus, where they located dozens of stolen items connected to other Santa Clarita cases. The items included video display systems, studio recording equipment, medical supplies and testing kits, electronics, sunglasses, cameras, GPS systems, and even a stolen gun.

Deputies estimate the value of the property in all the cases at more than $50,000. Deputies were able to return $18,000 worth of video equipment to one victim alone.

Deputies didn't stop there, they developed information on where the second juvenile subject was staying. They went to the 28700 block of Startree Lane in Saugus and arrested the second juvenile, male 17 of Saugus. That subject also had a no bail probation warrant. He was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station on the warrant and felony burglary charges. He was transported to Sylmar Juvenile pending future court proceedings.

Detectives hope to bring closure to more victims over the coming days as the investigation continues.

1,000 state-licensed facilities match sex offenders' addresses

2011-10-28T09:44:00.001-07:00

Los Angeles (CNN) -- The California state auditor has found that more than 1,000 state-licensed facilities -- including more than 600 for kids -- matched addresses in the sex-offender registry, saying oversight mechanisms lag behind state requirements. The state Department of Social Services "cites the lack of resources as the primary reason why it has not implemented an automated sex offender address match and why its oversight mechanisms are falling short of requirements," said the state auditor's report, released Thursday. Specifically, the report said that 677 foster and group homes and other state-licensed facilities for children matched sex offenders' addresses, as well as 385 state-licensed facilities for vulnerable adults. The auditor found that almost 600 of the 1,000 address matches were "high risk and in need of immediate investigation," the report said. It was not clear from the report how many foster and group homes are in California, in total. This month, the state social services agency and county child welfare agencies investigated 99% of the matches and began legal actions against eight licensees of facilities, including four license revocations, said the report, titled "Child Welfare Services -- California Can and Must Provide Better Protection and Support for Abused and Neglected Children." In six of those actions, registered sex offenders were living or present in the child facilities, and counties found 36 sex offenders having "some association" with foster homes -- prompting authorities to remove children from the facilities and ordering the offenders out of the homes, the report said. State costs for housing foster children have also grown dramatically, California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle found. "The percentage of children placed with private foster family agencies — agencies that recruit and certify foster homes and are compensated at a higher rate than state- or county-licensed foster homes — has dramatically increased over the last 10 years and resulted in an additional $327 million in foster care payments during that time," the report said. "The counties we visited admit to placing children with these agencies out of convenience rather than for elevated treatment needs as originally intended." The state social services agency "generally agreed" with the auditor's findings and outlined an action plan in response to several recommendations, the auditor said. In an October 7 response to the report, director Will Lightbourne of the California Department of Social Services wrote he agreed that "address comparison provides an additional protection for vulnerable clients in care, and agrees that prevention should be part of the protection." "We are concerned, however, that performing matches against every known sex offender address may not be the most effective means of prevention and ensuring protection. The process involved in this audit required CDSS and counties to investigate every known address of sex offenders, including addresses that were years and in some cases, decades, out of date," Lightbourne said. "The California Sex and Arson Registry (CSAR) includes effective dates of address and identifies active and inactive addresses, and future processes to compare addresses therefore should focus on information technology solutions to minimize the need for staff to manually search through and verify information," the director continued. "The CDSS is exploring solutions that leverage technology and key partners to create an efficient and effective process to provide this additional protection." The state auditor also recommended that the social service agency "complete comprehensive reviews of agencies' licensing activities more timely as well as on-site reviews of state-licensed foster homes, foster family agencies, and group homes. Moreover, Social Services should ensure that rates paid to private foster family agencies are appropriate and should monitor placements with these agencies," the auditor said. In 2010, child welfare agencies in California's 58 counties received 480,000 allegations of child abuse or neglect. Each county maintains its own child welfare service program, and the state Department of Social Services provides oversight, the report said.

World Television Premiere of Sin by Silence

2011-10-17T17:55:00.001-07:00

World Television Premiere of Sin by Silence Monday, October 17 at 8:00pm Location: Discovery ID SIN BY SILENCE will have its world television premiere on Monday, October 17 at 8pm ET/PT on Investigation Discovery (ID) -http://www.InvestigationDiscovery.com/Silence Do something incredible during Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Invite your friends, students or organization to watch and share the film. Download the step-by-step guide & discussions videos to make your night a success at http://www.currix.com/sinbysilenc...

CNBC to Premiere Documentary Original 'Billions Behind Bars' October 18th

2011-10-17T17:48:00.001-07:00

CNBC to Premiere Documentary Original 'Billions Behind Bars' October 18th MONDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2011 09:07WRITTEN BY NEWSDESK 1 COMMENTSWith more than 2.3 million people locked up, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. One out of 100 American adults is behind bars – while a stunning one out of 32 is on probation, parole or in prison. These staggering numbers have created a thriving prison economy. The states and the federal government together spend roughly $74 billion a year on corrections, and nearly 800,000 people work in the business. On Tuesday, October 18th at 9PM ET/PT, CNBC’s one-hour documentary, “Billions Behind Bars: Inside America’s Prison Industry,” takes viewers behind the razor wire to investigate the profits and inner-workings of the multi-billion dollar corrections industry. From some of the poorest towns in America to some of the wealthiest investment firms on Wall Street, CNBC’s award-winning Senior Correspondent Scott Cohn travels the country to go inside the big and controversial business of prisons. After decades of tough-on-crime policies, prisons across the country have become so overcrowded, some states send inmates out of state to prisons thousands of miles away. This severe overcrowding has created an opportunity for a booming private prison industry that promises taxpayers significant cost-savings and state-of-the-art facilities. But for all the cost-savings, the practice of locking people up for profits can, in some cases, be highly controversial. Cohn looks into a private prison in Idaho dubbed the “gladiator school” by inmates and former prison employees who cite its high level of violence. This Idaho facility, run by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), one of the top publicly traded prison management corporations, has been the target of critics who’ve cited issues there concerning understaffing, overcrowding, and inadequate training of personnel. Though CCA disputes these claims, the company has agreed to continue efforts to improve conditions at the facility. CNBC examines the newest growth area for private prison companies: immigration detention. On any given day, the number of immigrant detainees in the U.S. exceeds 30,000, and roughly half of those are held in private-run facilities. Cohn profiles one such detainee and examines this expanding part of the prison industry that’s benefited from tougher immigration laws and brought hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to private companies. Traditionally, “Not in My Backyard” was the resounding response small towns gave to developers proposing a new prison for their town. But today, in some areas that are hard-pressed for jobs, welcome mats are being rolled out to prison companies. In some cases new prisons have brought new jobs and new hope; in other cases the results have been disappointing. CNBC profiles the town of Hardin, Montana, which accepted an appealing sales pitch to build a private prison that was supposed to bring jobs and much-needed revenue. Completed in 2007, Two Rivers Detention Center sits fully stocked but has never housed a single prisoner, leaving the desperate town of Hardin even worse off. Meanwhile, the prison developer and its hand-picked construction company were paid nearly 20 million dollars for their work. The U.S. is among the largest users of prison labor in the world and putting inmates to work has become a huge moneymaker. In Colorado, CNBC goes behind the bars and inside a little-known prison workforce creating products that have seeped into our everyday lives ― even some of the food we eat. Supporters of inmate labor programs point out the taxpayer and inmate rehabilitation benefits, but critics argue that the prison business is muscling out traditional business and taking jobs away from people on the outside. CNBC also travels to Texas, the one-time prison capital of America, which has become a leader of prison reform. Cohn meets a tough-talking judge in this law-and-order state who’s actually trying to keep offenders out of prison and save taxpayer money through an innovative and apparently successful rehabilitation program. Since the Community Corrections Continuum of Care Court program began in 2009, 87% of the participants have met all the requirements and have gone on to graduate from the program. For more information including slideshows and web extras, log onto: prisonindustry.cnbc.com. Mitch Weitzner is the Senior Executive Producer of “Billions Behind Bars: Inside America’s Prison Industry.” Mary Noonan is the Senior Producer. Na Eng, Ruth Chenetz and Lauren Farrelly are producers. Ray Borelli is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Research, Scheduling and Long Form Programming. The one-hour Documentary Reported by Scott Cohn Premieres on Tuesday, October 18th at 9PM ET/PT on CNBC, and will re-air on Tuesday, October 18th 10PM ET/PT, Friday, October 21st at 8PM ET and Sunday, October 23rd at 10PM ET.

Members of the public are being tricked by jail inmates and others through a telephone scam

2011-10-10T09:02:00.001-07:00

Fraud Alert: Members of the public are being tricked by jail inmates and others through a telephone scam The public is being tricked by jail inmates and others through a phone scam. This fraud has occurred off and on for many years in different parts of the country. This notice was shared with the public by the LASD earlier this year and resulted in a major decrease in victims and potential victims contacting the LASD. There has again been a sudden increase in reports of this scam. Members of the public have been calling the Sheriff's Department and asking to talk to a specific deputy, detective, or sergeant who had just called them. The real deputy who answers the phone explains they are mistaken, as the named deputy does not exist or is not on duty. The scam begins by the victim caller receiving a call from a person claiming to be a deputy. This imposter tells the victim that one of their family member's has been incarcerated or involved in an accident. The imposter then informs the victim caller that their family member provided the victim caller's name as an emergency contact. The victim caller is then instructed to call a number that begins with *72 (Example: *72-323-555-1212) to get the information they will need. When the victim caller hangs up and dials the number provided, they are told they have a wrong number. Concerned for the safety of their family member, the victim caller then calls an information line (4-1-1) and asks for a number to the Sheriff's Department. They are then connected with a real deputy. However, since the victim caller used the prefix *72 to initiate their last phone call, they have just automatically forwarded all their incoming calls to the scammer's phone number (These include collect calls from inmates who want to avoid paying for collect calls). The billing for these forwarded calls goes to the victim caller until they turn off call forwarding on their phone (usually by dialing *73). If not careful, Victims can be scammed out of a lot of money in collect-call fees before they find this out. Do Not Dial *72 unless you want to forward your calls. If you have been involved in this scam, and you have already dialed a number beginning with *72, contact your phone service provider to learn how to shut off automatic call forwarding. For more information regarding this scam, please read the below alert from the California Public Utilities Commission for further details, recommendations and recourse.

Tips to Help Protect Your Kids + Neighborhood Watch

2011-10-03T18:06:00.001-07:00

October is National Crime Prevention Month: Tips to Help Protect Your Kids + Neighborhood Watch Safety Tips For Your Kids: Unfortunately no neighborhood is completely immune to crime. However, there are steps you can take to help keep your family and your neighborhood safe. • Know where your children are. Have your children tell you or ask permission before leaving the house and give them a time to check in or be home. When possible, have them leave a phone number of where they will be. • Help children learn important phone numbers. Have your children practice reciting their home phone number and address, and your work and cell phone numbers. If they have trouble memorizing these, write them down on a card and have them carry it at all times. Tell your children where you will be and the best way to reach you. • Set limits on where your children can go in your neighborhood. Do you want them crossing busy roads? Playing in alleys or abandoned buildings? Are there certain homes in your neighborhood that you don't want your children to go to? • Get to know your children's friends. Meet their parents before letting your children to go to their home and keep a list of their phone numbers. If you can't meet their parents, call and talk to them. Ask what your children might do at their house and if they will be supervised. • Choose a safe house in your neighborhood. Pick a neighbor's house where your children can go if they need help. Point out other places they can go for help, like stores, libraries, and police stations. • Teach children to settle arguments with words, not fists. Role-play talking out problems, walking away from fist fights, and what to do when confronted with bullies. Remind them that taunting and teasing can hurt friends and make enemies. • Work together with your neighbors. Watch out for suspicious and unusual behavior in your neighborhood. Get to know your neighbors and their children so you can look out for one another. • Start a new Neighborhood Crime Watch Group or re-activate an old one.  Neighborhood Crime Watch (NCW) is a partnership between residents and law enforcement to improve safety and prevent crime. What you can learn with NCW: • Who your neighbors are and how to work with them • How to use a neighborhood map and roster to communicate • How and why crime happens • How to improve home security and personal safety • How to recognize and report suspicious activity • Active NCW groups with visible NCW signs can deter crime Contact your local sheriff's station or police station for more information: National Crime Prevention Council go to http://www.ncpc.org/ In 1984, the National Crime Prevention Council designated October Crime Prevention Month. Every year since then, government agencies, civic groups, schools, businesses, and youth organizations have reached out to educate the public, showcase their accomplishments, and explore new partnerships during this special month. October has become the official month for recognizing and celebrating the practice of crime prevention, while promoting awareness of important issues such as victimization, volunteerism, and creating safer, more caring communities. The month-long celebration spotlights successful crime prevention efforts on the local, state, and national levels.

Alert: Everyone near 805 & Carmel Valley should be aware of shooting suspect.

2011-10-03T12:24:00.001-07:00

Alert: Everyone near 805 & Carmel Valley should be aware of shooting suspect. SDPD and CHP are alerting residents to a dangerous situation. A man in a white Chev Malibu driving north on I-805 has fired shots at several persons on the freeway. Possible vehicle lic is 5POM917. The man is described as a H/M and was last seen at Del Mar Hts Rd north on I-5. The man is considered armed and very dangerous and people are asked to avoid contact with the suspect. If seen, please call 911 without hesitation. Sent by San Diego Police Department, 1401 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101

California Puts Into Motion Alternative Custody for Incarcerated Moms

2011-09-21T18:23:00.001-07:00

California Puts Into Motion Alternative Custody for Incarcerated Moms California is set to implement a law passed last year that will allow some female inmates in state prisons who are pregnant or who are the primary caregivers for their kids to finish their sentences outside of prison. Criminal justice reform and inmate advocates say, though, that the plan has been mistakenly touted as an early release program, and that in fact, many women may simply be shuffled to other facilities where they’ll still be locked up. The move has been spurred in part by the Supreme Court order to the state to deal with the current prison overcrowding problems by reducing the prison populations from their current 200 percent capacity to 137.5 percent capacity. California state prisons currently house 146,000 inmates in facilities that were meant for just 80,000 people. Part of the hope is that the money the state will save incarcerating women in state prisons will go to social services and treatment programs to make sure inmates do not return to prison again. As of 2009, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office estimated it cost California $47,000 a year to incarcerate someone in a state prison. The law, authored by California state Sen. Carol Liu, allows for women who have less than two years left of their sentence to serve; have not been convicted of sex offenses; have no current or prior felony convictions and who haven’t attempted to escape from prison in the last ten years to be eligible for a program where they could serve the remainder of their time under house arrest, in a residential drug treatment program, or in what’s called a “transitional care facility.” Prison inmate advocates say there are many open questions about what those transitional care facilities will look like, but that given the passage of other recent laws that call for the expansion of reentry prisons, it’s likely that the facilities women will be transferred to will mean that they’ll still incarcerated. “There’s been a history of the Department of Corrections saying they’ve identified four to 5,000 inmates who pose no threat and should go home and have only non-violent property related offenses on their record, who are mothers, who really just need vocational training and drug treatment and shouldn’t be in prison,” said Cynthia Chandler, director of the human rights organization JusticeNow, that advocates for the rights of incarcerated women and transgender folks. “But when we delve into the language of the bills and the policy, the plan turns out to actually be to construct new prisons that are run by the Department of Corrections and are staffed by guards but are just not called prisons but which are, for all intents and purposes, prisons.” Chandler said that during the conversations surrounding the state’s massive billion-dollar prison expansion bill AB 900 passed in 2007, there was talk of building 4,000 beds for so-called female rehabilitative community correctional centers where women would be housed in smaller, guarded facilities closer to the communities they came from. The Supreme Court ruling didn’t necessarily order for the release of inmates, it simply demanded that the prison system reduce overcrowding. If the Department of Corrections accomplished that by building more prisons or alternative facilities, that would be legally permissible. The reach of the program could also be curtailed by Gov. Jerry Brown’s realignment plan that could result in county jails being given more discretion about where people serve their sentences. Emily Harris, the statewide coordinator for Californians United for a Responsible Budget, agreed that the current plan is vague on details about what will actually happen to women who qualify to participate in the program. “One of the things we know is the devil is in the details,” Harris said, pointing to some questions around the law’s language. “What does ‘release’ really mean?” Harris said, “Does it mean that people are released into a treatment center, or into their homes but that their home will be surveilled, and do you need to have a home address in order to go home?” Harris and Chandler said that while many women may technically qualify to leave state prisons, other extenuating circumstances will likely keep many women for participating. In a sense, the very people the law attempts to help may be barred from taking part in the alternative custody arrangements. “What we know is that it’s disproportionately poor women of color who will not be able to go home,” Chandler said. Chandler said, for instance, that people with felony drug convictions, even if that’s not why they’re in prison now, are barred from living in Section 8 housing. So if the home a woman would intend to serve her house arrest under was classified as Section 8, she’d be unable to participate in the program. And while 80 percent of women in prison are mothers, they are more likely to be the primary caregivers for their kids than men are, but because of the harshness of child welfare laws, mothers often get their parental rights terminated if they cannot reunify with their child in 18 months. If a woman has lost her parental rights and her child put in foster care, she will no longer be classified as a primary caregiver, and therefore would not be able to take part in the program, either. “In our experience working with people to defend their parental rights, it tends to be poor women of color who don’t have additional family or monetary resources who end up facing the removal of their parental rights altogether,” Chandler said, adding that still, “this group is the most highly likely people thought of when this program was established.” Lawmakers estimate that some 4,000 of the 9,500 female California state prison inmate population could potentially qualify to be moved to alternative facilities. It may turn out to be far fewer who actually go home. Still, inmate advocates say they are optimistic, and the work now is to pressure the Department of Corrections to put its savings into social services. “We want to be supporting the release of people and reducing the number of people in prisons but it’s important that we’re actually releasing them and not just shuffling them from state prisons to county jails,” Harris said. http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/09/california_puts_into_motion_alternative_custody_for_incarcerated_moms.html

Chowchilla Women’s Prison Could Be Converted Into a Men’s Prison

2011-09-21T18:21:00.001-07:00

Chowchilla Women’s Prison Could Be Converted Into a Men’s Prison 'Tuesday, September 20, 2011 Chowchilla - It's not a done deal yet, but Madera County officials believe as early as October, the Valley State Prison for Women could be transitioned into a prison for men. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says a final decision on the transition to a men's prison has not been made yet. Potentially, 4,000 men could be moving into the facility that currently houses about 3,500 low level female inmates. CDCR says the female inmates currently at the prison would be released through attrition, or those with 2 years left to serve would be monitored with electronic ankle bracelets. The conversion is a rumor that's inching closer to reality. State lawmakers just passed a bill that gives the state Department of Corrections the legal go-ahead, without considering any public input. Local leaders call the legislation, sneaky. "I would call it a bureaucratic dictatorship, moving forward without the input of locals...a total disregard for the community itself," said David Rogers, Madera County Supervisor. Rogers says Chowchilla is not ready for the influx of male prisoners and their families who would move into town. He wants the state to pay for extra resources like police and prosecutors. "The crime rate, the drug trafficking, the gang activity, all of those things are very real," said Rogers. Chowchilla is a small town of about 11,000 people. Many are not in favor of the switch. In fact, they're worried that their police department can't handle the crime. "Scared of the crimes and the people. Because they have done some deadly crimes that are in there," said Chowchilla resident, Ernestine Sullivan. "My daughter lives here, my granddaughter, I guess that would be a concern if they're not going to step up here. Because they've really pulled back. You used to see 4 or 5 cars running around, now you might see 2 if you're lucky," said Chowchilla resident Linda Van Houwelingen. Chowchilla only has 14 sworn officers, and that includes the police chief. Local leaders, along with residents, are left to wonder if they'll get any help from the state. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the state to reduce its prison population over the next two years. http://www.kmph.com/story/15501303/chowchilla-womens-prison-could-be-converted-into-a-mens-prison?clienttype=printable

Be on the lookout for a man posing as untility worker

2011-09-20T16:13:00.000-07:00

Be on the lookout for a man posing as untility worker An elderly woman was the victim of a burglary by a man posing as a city worker. The suspect (H/M/40’s 6ft/200 lbs) was dressed in all gray and told the woman he was investigating a sewer break. He had the woman wait outside while he worked alone inside her house. After a while, the woman entered the house and discovered the man was gone. She checked her home and discovered her property was missing. Area Detectives responded to the scene and are investigating the incident. Any persons with information are asked to call Eastern Investigators at 858-495-7900

DA Participates in Human Trafficking Film Premiere

2011-09-06T18:03:00.001-07:00

DA Participates in Human Trafficking Film Premiere A powerful Hollywood film about human trafficking had its San Diego primiere last month and local law enforcement used the opportunity to educate the public about the issue. The movie sheds light on the brutal but often unnoticed reality of sex trafficking. The San Diego Regional Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Advisory Council hosted the special screening, at which San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis spoke about the effects of this type of crime. After the film premiere, Deputy District Attorney Gretchen Means of the Sex Crimes and Stalking Unit, participated in a panel discussion about human trafficking in San Diego. The film centers on Kathy, (Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz) an American police officer whouncovers an extensive United Nations cover-up of a sex trafficking scandal.