Crime and Punishment • Gangs • Juvenile Justice

Should We Lock Certain Kids Away Forever?

October 17, 2007

13 Comments

The United States is unique in all the world in its attitude toward punishing its young. Right now...

Civil Liberties • Free Speech • Freedom of Information

Shielding the Press

October 16, 2007

37 Comments

Today, the House of Representatives will vote on the bill called The Free Flow of Information Act...

Bears and Alligators • Families • Life and Life Only

Into The Wild – UPDATED

October 14, 2007

5 Comments

I’m headed out into the John Muir Wilderness with my smart son, Will, and...

Environment • National Politics

HE WON! (But Will He Run?)

October 12, 2007

31 Comments

The news came out at about 2 a.m. Pacific time. Everybody’s got some version of the story...

National Politics

Al Gore…. Nobel Rumors Swirl…with Prez Run Chatter Heating Up – UPDATED

October 11, 2007

8 Comments

I’m still neck-deep in deadlines but when WLA commenter, Listener-on-the-Sidelines, pointed...

Gangs • Los Angeles History

MS-13….The Armed and Dangerous “Children” of War

October 11, 2007

6 Comments

[NOTE: I’M IN THE MIDST OF A PESKY DEADLINE so this will be a short one. Back in stride...

Bill Bratton • LAPD • Police

MAY DAY: The LAPD Lays It All Out……Sort Of

October 10, 2007

24 Comments

As I posted yesterday, the “Final Report on the MacArthur Park Incident”-–also...

Gangs • Los Angeles Writers

Homeboy Poets in the LA Times

October 10, 2007

8 Comments

Today’s excellent LA Times Column One story by Erika Hayasaki is about my friend, novelist...

Crime and Punishment • LAPD

May Day Revealed…..??? – UPDATED

October 9, 2007

16 Comments

It’s been five months since the Monster May Day Mess occurred in MacArthur Park, and the...

Crime and Punishment • Criminal Justice • Parole Policy • Prison Policy

Stopping the Spinning Doors

October 9, 2007

3 Comments

Every single year, 120,000 inmates —give or take—are released from California’s...

Free Speech • Freedom of Information

Peace Out, Man! …..Except If You’re Desmond Tutu

October 8, 2007

24 Comments

For four straight years, the well-regarded Justice and Peace Studies program at Saint Thomas...

American Artists • Arts

“Silence is Unpatriotic”

October 8, 2007

10 Comments

If you didn’t see Bruce Springsteen on Sunday’s 60 Minutes…..Well, I’m just...

Criminal Justice • Government • Guantanamo • Life and Life Only • National Politics • Prison Policy • Race • Religion

Been Taking the Weekend Off….

October 7, 2007

6 Comments

(NOTE: Above graphic shamelessly heisted from Ross Blog at NBC.com) I’ve been in a...

Crime and Punishment • Criminal Justice • National Politics • Prison • Prison Policy

AMERICA the Jailor

October 5, 2007

20 Comments

The United States is incarcerating people at a rate never seen before in our history. The U.S. has...

Criminal Justice • LASD • Sheriff Lee Baca

The County Cops’ Creepy Collaring Contest Caper

October 4, 2007

24 Comments

And….this week’s silver medal for Olympic class bad judgment by a public servant or...

Civil Liberties • Death Penalty • Supreme Court

Death and the 20-Minute Factor

October 4, 2007

8 Comments

Last Tuesday the Supreme Court agreed to hear Baze v. Reese a case that challenges the...

Gangs • Life and Life Only • Los Angeles History

A New Dose of Hope on Alameda Street – UPDATED

October 3, 2007

20 Comments

Yesterday at noon, the new Homeboy Industries building officially opened its doors. Hundreds of...

Criminal Justice • Education • Gangs • Race

Beating the Drums for a (Non-existant) Race War

October 2, 2007

12 Comments

I’m finishing up a deadline and away from the computer for most of the day. In the meantime...