Oct 31, 2011
CJCJ Newsletter — Plug in to CJCJ
Have you seen us lately?
The most definitive answer I heard to this question at today’s panel on Realignment, sponsored by the Warren Institute on Law and Policy at UC Berkeley, was “no one knows.” The outcomes of criminal justice realignment are still unclear as it recently went into effect October 1st. Other factors include the difficulties in knowing how many offenders realignment will actually affect due to the specificity of offender categories outlined for local supervision and “justice by geography.” By…
Oct 27, 2011
The Trouble With Youth Curfews
The Trouble With Youth Curfews Atlantic Cities, October 26, 2011
Blog Oct 25, 2011
Is Wall Street a gang? Part I
By now just about everyone has become aware of the social movement known as Occupy Wall Street . It has occurred to me that one of the justifications for this movement is the massive amount of fraud committed by various corporations that constitute what is known as “Wall Street” in addition to crimes linked to specific individuals rather than corporations. I am in the middle of updating my book on gangs and in the process have included a discussion of what exactly is a “gang” and it…
Blog Oct 21, 2011
Audio broadcast “It’s all business” out now
It’s all business is a short broadcast that discusses the role lobbying firms play in exacerbating the current prison crisis in California. Lobbying firms represent special interest groups in California, promoting and opposing legislation based on the agenda of their clients. These firms specialize in strategic political marketing both to the legislature and to the public through the media. This broadcast aims to highlight the influential role lobbying firms play in shaping…
Blog Oct 20, 2011
Second Chance Act funding threatened
Of the $2.3 billion currently allocated in the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill, $0 is included in the Senate’s version for Second Chance Act funding. Although full funding would require $165 million, there is an opportunity to restore, at least a portion of this crucial funding for fiscal year 2012. President Obama has requested $100 million and the House of Representatives request includes $70 million; however, agreement from both the House and the Senate appropriations…
CJCJ’s distinguished Senior Research Fellow will be presenting at the American Society of Criminology (ASC) annual conference at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. on November 16 – 19, 2011. Senior Research Fellow Randall G. Shelden , Ph.D., will present his paper The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and It’s Role in the Passage of Crime Control Legislation on Thursday, Nov. 17, in the panel session The Politics of Punishment and Corrections , 12:30 pm to 1:50 pm in…
Blog Oct 19, 2011
Audio broadcast “Money Talks” out now
Money Talks is a four-minute broadcast that introduces listeners to the criminal justice special interest group landscape in California, highlighting key players and the strategies they employ to promote their agenda in California’s criminal justice policymaking. Modern American society is characterized by an unequal distribution of power and economic resources, wherein those who have the greatest access to resources are most able to have their interests represented by the law. …
Oct 18, 2011
Oakland right to be skeptical of curfews
Oakland right to be skeptical of curfews San Francisco Chronicle, October 18, 2011
Blog Oct 13, 2011
CA Policy: Round up
This blog concludes a nine-part CA policy series of blogs focused on California’s special interest groups and their impact on criminal justice policy. You can find the full series on CJCJ’s California Criminal Justice Interest Group Watch . The series aimed to answer the question: when it comes to promoting criminal justice policy in California, what works and why? I conducted my exploration of this issue through three channels: ~ Examining various marketing strategies deployed by…
Listen to this excellent podcast by Prison Photography’s Pete Brook, interviewing CJCJ’s Executive Director Daniel Macallair on the history of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice and the evolution of criminal and juvenile justice in California. PPOTR #3: Interview with Dan Macallair of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice by Pete Brook
Blog Oct 7, 2011
CA Policy: The corporate interest
Kathy Lynch is the legislative advocate for two California bail agent associations: the California Bail Agents Association (CBAA ); and Golden State Bail Agents Association (GSBAA ). She founded Lynch & Associates in 1985. These two groups explicitly lobby for increases in the fee detainees must pay for bail-posting services. In California, the Department of Insurance regulates bail premiums (the amount of money paid to a bail bondsman for their services), which are set as a percentage…