Misdemeanor charges make up over 80 percent of the criminal cases processed across the nation. More...
Waiting for justice: Defendants locked up for years awaiting trials, sentencing
For thousands of Californians, the notion of “presumed innocent” has been turned on its head...
Policing Bills Await Decisions in the Legislature’s Public Safety Committees
“Current law provides an opportunity for one officer to make a false statement in a police report...
A Deeper Look at the Landmark Ruling on Cash Bail by the Cal Supremes
Late last week, a ruling came down from the California Supreme Court that will permanently...
Police and civilians disagree on when body camera footage should be made public
Many police chiefs and regular American civilians agree that officers’ body camera footage should...
LA County Leaders Agree to Expand Community Care for People Declared Unfit to Stand Trial
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to expand reentry programs...
Progressive Justice Reformer Rob Bonta named as California’s new Attorney General
Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that Democratic Assemblyman Rob Bonta is the person he has...
Op-Ed: Finally, an Opportunity to Humanize, Not Criminalize, LA’s Students
While cutting school police funding is an important first step toward reducing harm, the...
Bracketed by the News of 2 Mass Shootings, a Coalition Representing CA Crime Victims Has Released a 10-Point “Victims’ Agenda”
Our experience," said Patti Giggans, "is that survivors want justice. But that doesn't mean they...
The Dilemma of WitnessLA’s Comments Section: Finding a Better Way to Connect
From its birth on March 12, 2007, for the next 14 years, WitnessLA has featured a comment section...
Parole Trends in the Time of COVID-19: Fewer Hearings, Fewer Approvals
Only five out of 13 states actually increased the number of people granted parole during the first...
In Blistering Ruling, Federal Judge Orders Video Surveillance & Body Cams in 5 CA Prisons to Stop Abuse of Men & Women With Disabilities
On Thursday, March 11, Senior U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken handed down a blistering ruling...
UC, Cal State police much less diverse than the students they serve
At 32 of 33 UC and CSU campuses, police officers are whiter than the students — and in many...
Op-Ed: California Can’t Waver on the Governor’s Promise for Youth Justice Realignment
I know about the trauma, abuse and neglect that happen every day across the state’s network of...
Will County Leaders Accept State Funding to Divert More People Declared Incompetent to Stand Trial From LA’s Jails?
Los Angeles County currently has the opportunity to take two substantial pots of funding from the...
Are opponents of LA’s new reformist DA using crime victims as political footballs? A new LA County poll suggests the answer is yes.
In the ongoing battle between those who are in favor of the newly instituted justice reform...
Bill Would “Sunset” Old Felony Records That Limit Access to Employment, Housing, and Education
An ambitious new bill, SB 731, would automatically and retroactively seal conviction and arrest...
Children’s Defense Fund To Discuss “A Call for Radical Transformation” in the well-being of California’s kids!
Tomorrow morning, Friday, March 5, the Children’s Defense Fund, is hosting a virtual...