Crime
Blog
Read about latest soft on crime legislation
SB 2 – A Law in Search of a Crime
The 2022 Crime in California report from the state Attorney General’s office tell us, as the reports have shown for the past three years, that crime continues to rise. Violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over the 2021 figures. Yet, progressive lawmakers have continued to ...
Crime
Wayne Winegarden – Free Cities Index
Our guest this week is PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden who discusses his new study “The Free Cities Index.” Many of America’s cities have been on the decline for years, while other cities have thrived and attracted more and more Americans. Wayne examined a multitude of variables – taxes, crime, ...
Blog
Read about latest bill to undermine public safety
SB 94 – Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics – Murderers do not “Age Out”
They received those sentences because their crimes are uniquely heinous and include one or more factors known as “special circumstances” that can include, the murder of public safety officers or officials, murders for financial gain, the use of torture, murders of multiple victims, prior convictions for murder, the use of ...
Blog
Read latest on California's growing crime problem
Murders are up – We’re just dying less.
Writing for The Atlantic recently, Jeff Asher predicted that, “The United States may be experiencing one of the largest annual percent changes in murder ever recorded, according to my preliminary data.” That’s a bold statement and will undoubtedly be used to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies around the ...
Blog
To protect and reform: How to fix urban police departments
After the death of George Floyd during a police encounter in Minneapolis three years ago on Memorial Day weekend, it sparked protests both salutary and sanguinary. Peaceful protests sometimes turned violent. And a national soul-searching began, including investigations into police procedures – such as the choke hold that killed Floyd ...
Commentary
Read the latest debate on body-worn cameras
On body-worn cameras and license plate readers, there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy
On June 9, a gunman opened fire on people attending a community block party in the Mission District of San Francisco. The shots hit nine people – five of them seriously. It was one of over 550 gun-related incidents so far recorded in San Francisco this year that has ...
Blog
Read about Pamela Price controversy
Pamela Price Gets it Wrong
Oakland’s social, economic, and criminal justice challenges are well known. Lost jobs, expensive housing, poor performing schools, and a crime problem that exceeds neighboring cities are constant challenges. However, a recent surge in crime shows violent crime is up 14 percent, rapes are up 18 percent, robberies are up 18 ...
Blog
Read about Van Houten parole controversy
Leslie Van Houten Parole Was a Tragic Mistake
Leslie Van Houten, the Manson family member, and convicted murderer, has seen her long road to release become front page news all over the world. Her parole had been denied multiple times during her 51 years of incarceration for her role in the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca on ...
Blog
Crimes, Punishment, and Parole – Mass Releases and Mass Victimization
The use of the term “mass incarceration” is widely accepted to define the United States rate of incarceration in comparison to other countries. According to prisonpolicy.org, the US rate of incarceration is 664 per 100,000 population. In California, the rate was 549/100,000, which ranks 33 out of the 50 states. ...
California
Bob Spano, Carl Olson, and Steve Smith – How Bad Sacramento Policy is Causing Victims’ Families to Relive Traumatic Memories
On this week’s episode, we talk with Bob Spano and Carl Olson, whose beloved family members were tragically murdered decades ago, and who have recently been forced to relive these traumatic memories when the individuals who murdered their family members were granted parole. PRI senior fellow Steve Smith discusses how ...
Read about latest soft on crime legislation
SB 2 – A Law in Search of a Crime
The 2022 Crime in California report from the state Attorney General’s office tell us, as the reports have shown for the past three years, that crime continues to rise. Violent crimes are up 6.1 percent and property crimes are up 6.2 percent over the 2021 figures. Yet, progressive lawmakers have continued to ...
Wayne Winegarden – Free Cities Index
Our guest this week is PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden who discusses his new study “The Free Cities Index.” Many of America’s cities have been on the decline for years, while other cities have thrived and attracted more and more Americans. Wayne examined a multitude of variables – taxes, crime, ...
Read about latest bill to undermine public safety
SB 94 – Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics – Murderers do not “Age Out”
They received those sentences because their crimes are uniquely heinous and include one or more factors known as “special circumstances” that can include, the murder of public safety officers or officials, murders for financial gain, the use of torture, murders of multiple victims, prior convictions for murder, the use of ...
Read latest on California's growing crime problem
Murders are up – We’re just dying less.
Writing for The Atlantic recently, Jeff Asher predicted that, “The United States may be experiencing one of the largest annual percent changes in murder ever recorded, according to my preliminary data.” That’s a bold statement and will undoubtedly be used to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies around the ...
To protect and reform: How to fix urban police departments
After the death of George Floyd during a police encounter in Minneapolis three years ago on Memorial Day weekend, it sparked protests both salutary and sanguinary. Peaceful protests sometimes turned violent. And a national soul-searching began, including investigations into police procedures – such as the choke hold that killed Floyd ...
Read the latest debate on body-worn cameras
On body-worn cameras and license plate readers, there should be a reasonable expectation of privacy
On June 9, a gunman opened fire on people attending a community block party in the Mission District of San Francisco. The shots hit nine people – five of them seriously. It was one of over 550 gun-related incidents so far recorded in San Francisco this year that has ...
Read about Pamela Price controversy
Pamela Price Gets it Wrong
Oakland’s social, economic, and criminal justice challenges are well known. Lost jobs, expensive housing, poor performing schools, and a crime problem that exceeds neighboring cities are constant challenges. However, a recent surge in crime shows violent crime is up 14 percent, rapes are up 18 percent, robberies are up 18 ...
Read about Van Houten parole controversy
Leslie Van Houten Parole Was a Tragic Mistake
Leslie Van Houten, the Manson family member, and convicted murderer, has seen her long road to release become front page news all over the world. Her parole had been denied multiple times during her 51 years of incarceration for her role in the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca on ...
Crimes, Punishment, and Parole – Mass Releases and Mass Victimization
The use of the term “mass incarceration” is widely accepted to define the United States rate of incarceration in comparison to other countries. According to prisonpolicy.org, the US rate of incarceration is 664 per 100,000 population. In California, the rate was 549/100,000, which ranks 33 out of the 50 states. ...
Bob Spano, Carl Olson, and Steve Smith – How Bad Sacramento Policy is Causing Victims’ Families to Relive Traumatic Memories
On this week’s episode, we talk with Bob Spano and Carl Olson, whose beloved family members were tragically murdered decades ago, and who have recently been forced to relive these traumatic memories when the individuals who murdered their family members were granted parole. PRI senior fellow Steve Smith discusses how ...
