Over one year into Realignment, local justice stakeholders across the state remain challenged by the responsibility of serving an increased number of offenders. Some jurisdictions approach this new era as an opportunity for innovation and creativity, whereas others view it as the state skirting its responsibility. San Francisco, in keeping with its history of self-reliance, approached Realignment as a chance to implement community-based practices that support rehabilitation while achieving…
By Mike Males & Anthony Bernier Oakland, California’s, troubled police department is the first ever to be taken over completely by a federal judge and his appointed director. Oakland’s newest police chief, Howard Jordan, the fifth in a recent succession, has proven unable to reform a department plagued by systematic police brutality and racial profiling and, despite exorbitant budgets, chronic understaffing, abysmal crime-solving rates, and a severely backlogged laboratory. U.S. District…
Blog Dec 31, 2013
What about Men? A follow-up to Newtown Shootings
In my most recent blog I happen to mention in passing that most of these kinds of shootings are committed by men. In a recent article by Meghan Murphy expanded on this often neglected fact. The issue of guns and access to mental health care has most often been discussed, writes Murphy, but, she says, “no one is asking what is, for once, the single most important question: What about the men?” After listing some of the most well-known mass shootings dating back to 1984, she writes that “In…
Blog Dec 27, 2012
A Partnership to Change Our Criminal Justice System
As 2012 draws to a close, now is a time for reflection on past achievements and future challenges. The holiday season and coming New Year represent an opportunity to jolt us from our everyday complacency. CJCJ is unique in that it joins practitioners and researchers, all working for one common purpose: a more humane justice system. Our hard work builds not just on the dedication of agency staff, interns, and volunteers, rather we rely on generous contributions from individuals such as…
CJCJ authors have published several provocative studies documenting that teenagers and young adults are no more prone to risk-taking and crime than older adults once the fact 15 – 24 year-olds are 2 – 3 times more likely to suffer the economic and environmental harms associated with poverty than middle-agers is taken into account. We find terms like “adolescent risk taking” and “youth violence” are misnomers; rather, there are generally elevated risks that accompany worsening socioeconomic…