Over the past decade, California has been making incremental progress toward reducing suspensions...
New police accountability laws up demands on state agencies
New state laws on police accountability are testing the limits of several agencies, including the...
Sheriff Villanueva was coming to Monday’s hearing on deputy gangs. Now (predictably) he’s not
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s subpoena saga continues. Here’s the newest chapter...
Youth Diversion Programs in LA and SF Offer Kids Accused of Serious Crimes a Chance to Make Things Right
For a little over six months, kids accused of some serious crimes in Los Angeles County have the...
She Fought the Law and She Won: WeHo versus the LASD
Over the past month, there have been two competing headlines about West Hollywood’s fight with...
Racial Justice & Pedestrian Safety Fuel Jaywalking Debate, while CA has new bill to decriminalize low risk jaywalking
by Jenni Bergal of Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts. For nearly a...
When ‘slow violence’ becomes ‘fast violence’ in an LA community besieged by industry and pollution
The Los Angeles community of Wilmington is home to the largest concentration of oil refineries in...
LA Dem’s endorse Luna over Villanueva, while Supes vote 4 to 1 to ask county voters to give the board authority to remove the sheriff
This past Tuesday, July 12, was not the greatest of days for Sheriff Alex Villanueva. First, the...
Drug courts face choice: Close or expand access after Prop. 47 fallout
Proposition 47 removed the threat of jail time for simple drug possession. Now participation in...
Governor Signs Bill to Eliminate Sex Work Loitering Law for Which Police Disproportionately Arrest Black People
Under a newly signed bill, police in California will no longer be able to enforce a section of the...
When Disability Intersects with Domestic Violence, Here’s How to Better Help Survivors
by Angela Kim I discovered I had a disability before I realized I was in an abusive...
The troubling relationship between prosecutorial misconduct & death penalty exonerations
[W]hile [a prosecutor] may strike hard blows, he is not at liberty to strike foul ones...
Listening to Frederick Douglass on the 4th of July
On this painful Fourth of July 2022, where the hope and delight of our nation’s yearly...
LA County Supervisors Pass Diluted Motion to Expand ODR With No Set Deadline
On Tuesday, June 28, the LA County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of a motion meant to expand...
WitnessLA wins two 1st prize trophies at this year’s Los Angeles Press Club Awards!
On Saturday night, June 25, the LA Press Club announced the winners of its Southern California...
$2.1 Million Grant Will Expand First AmeriCorps Program for Formerly Incarcerated People
Now in its third year, California Justice Leaders has recruited and sent dozens of formerly...
Retired LASD Chief confirms Villanueva obstructed investigation into 2018 assault by Bandito shot-callers
In a sworn declaration, retired LASD Chief Matthew Burson described having been an unwitting part...
Juneteenth Is Not a Legal Holiday in Most States, but CA has a bill in the works
Long celebrated in the Black community as Freedom Day, Independence Day or Emancipation Day...