In the past week, two California cities - Riverside and San Bernardino - have repealed most of their "Crime-Free Multi-Housing" programs, which were designed to improve tenants safety but have been criticized for destabilizing families, especially in low-income communities of color. The program helps landlords choose better landscaping and lighting, and promotes neighborhood watch groups. City of San Bernardino Public Information Officer Jeff Kraus said it also established rules against criminal activity. .
The City of Charleston continues to funnel massive amounts of funding toward law enforcement. According to a new report, since 2020, Charleston s police officers have been paid more than $9 million in overtime wages. Critics said much of the money could have gone to programs to prevent harm and increase public safety. .
One year ago, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 731, a law that allows more than a million Californians to clear many old felony convictions from their records. Now, expungement clinics across the state are helping speed that process along. A clinic this Friday in San Francisco will help people start the paperwork to petition a judge. .
A bill will be heard in the State Senate Appropriations Committee tomorrow that would stop requiring youths convicted of a crime to pay restitution, and change how victims are made whole. Assembly Bill 1186 would instead make those crime survivors eligible for financial assistance through the California Victims Compensation Board. The bill s author, Assemblymember Mia Bonta - D-Alameda - said the current system is broken, because counties have only been able to collect on 20% of the restitution orders since 2010. .
The average age of death for people with a learning disability who are from an ethnic minority is 34 years, just over half the life expectancy of white counterparts, at 62 years of age.