In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom made the final call on what remained of hundreds of bills that legislators sent to his desk for approval. Many of these bills pertained to the criminal legal system, so we decided...
Head strikes in LA County Jail & the power of independent journalism
On August 14, 2023, WitnessLA filed a motion to unseal six sealed exhibits containing six jail...
Most states ban shackling pregnant women in custody, yet many report being restrained
Ashley Denney was about seven months pregnant in 2022 when police handcuffed her during an arrest...
3 classic novels that have made prison life more bearable
Many years ago, I began a journey of escape, one that has taken me on fabulous expeditions around...
New Laws Part 3: Youth Justice
In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed and vetoed the last of hundreds of bills...
The BSCC takes a new look at Los Padrinos & Barry J Juvenile halls, and finds them “out of compliance” 22 times
Specifically, the BSCC found that Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall is out of compliance in 12 critical...
Cash bail policies are under fresh scrutiny
By Amanda Hernández, Stateline States can’t figure out what to do about cash bail. The...
Chaos at Los Padrinos Youth Hall—while drug investigative team is still removed from duty
At the beginning of the month, for example, there were two incidents at Los Padrinos, in which...
To our nation’s veterans, with deep gratitude
As we celebrate our nation’s veterans, those of us who live in Los Angeles County or the city...
Thoughts about this week’s four LASD suicides
Darrin Harris, 56, an active-duty commander of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was...
New Laws Part 2: Governor Signs and Vetoes Policing Bills
In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed — and vetoed — the last of hundreds of...
This isn’t your usual article about how bad domestic violence is; it’s about a solution
This isn’t your usual article about domestic violence, the one that’s pretty much been...
Thoughts from an eyewitness to the vindictive & retaliatory regime of Alex Villanueva
When Villanueava reached out to me, I agreed to come on board with the understanding that I would...
New Laws Part 1: Conditions Inside Prisons and Jails
During the first two weeks of October, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed and rejected the...
Even in Prison, White Privilege Thrives
By C.R. Addleman, Prison Journalism Project In 2019, I served as a kitchen worker in the...
Youth living at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall overdoses twice on fentanyl, as investigators working to get lethal drugs out of Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall are relieved of duty
Last Wednesday, October 18, a kid in residence at Los Angeles County Probation’s Los Padrinos...
A letter to youth: How I achieved the impossible dream of a master’s degree
By Sergio Coronel In 2016, I finally made it to California State University, Fresno. It took...
Homeless and suspended in California
By Amy DiPierro, The Center for Public Integrity Federal education law explicitly seeks to help...
To end domestic violence, heal the abusers, say those who do the healing
In the world of family violence, the focus is on healing victims. The survivors. But that approach...