Blog Mar 21, 2013
Debtor’s prisons alive and well
As I have written before jails have been largely reserved for the poor and at one time in history words like jails and poorhouses (along with workhouses and prisons) were used interchangeably.
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CJCJ report analyzes new data from the last quarter of 2012. Finds county disparities contribute to prison crisis and impact all CA taxpayers.
Nearly 18 months after the state’s prison realignment law took effect, Merced officials agree the jury is still out on whether it meets its intended goals.
Blog Mar 19, 2013
Commercial bail vs. Pretrial services
As you walk down Bryant Street in San Francisco, there are many neon-lit signs advertising for available bail services increasing as you move closer to the Hall of Justice. San Francisco is the birthplace of the bail industry, but in recent years, the county has begun to explore pretrial services that are not driven by commercial enterprise.
Blog Mar 14, 2013
Against violence and against incarceration
Anti-violence activists, who often demand harsher penalties for offenders, tend to work in opposition to those fighting overuse of incarceration, who call for the opposite. This antagonism leaves women of color on the sidelines, as they are disproportionately impacted by both gender-based violence and the criminal justice system.