Recent News

The Racial Justice Act, a law in California where criminal defendants can challenge their conviction if there is belief that it was decided based on their racial/ethnic identity, was upheld in a state appeals court yesterday. Introduced by Democrat Assem. Ash Kalra from San Jose, this act had pa...

This legislative season in California regarding prison reform that one wasn't to be predicted, revealing how the state is not as progressive as many voters thought. It's more so about how Gov. Gavin Newsom has been signing and vetoing hundreds of bills without a certain pattern. According to th...

Former women prisoners in Chowchilla that have come forward about surviving sexual assault by a former guard have reached a settlement of $3.7 million, says their attorney. Robert Chalfant, the attorney who represented the women, said that the agreements had happened after talks had occurred for...

Most people wouldn't think farms and prisoners collaborate on projects together to serve incarcerated individuals, but this a better change for the future. Three facilities in California: California State Prison Solano, California Medical Facility, and Folsom State Prison are all part of a “farm...

Prisoners in California typically have to pay for their own toiletries while incarcerated, leading to hundreds of thousands of dollars profited by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). It's one thing to be paying out of pocket without making much money in prison, ju...

Wrongful convictions will be more in scope with barriers removed in California, with the approval under Governor Gavin Newsom with legislation that would ease the exoneration process. Senate Bill 97 was signed into law this year, introduced by Senator Wiener, D-San Francisco, that will take away...

Legislative season has been in the works for the past couple of months, with more engagement with the state's constituents more than ever. With Newsom having the power to pass bills in law, it has been a Pandora's box on what he could do. For a bill that would legalize cannabis cafes for example,...

Three-strikes law under California ruling is a sentencing method that comes with more than what is expected of, leading to being imprisoned from 25 years to life. The defendant to receive must be convicted of a violent of serious felony offense and already have two previous convictions that are a...

California can possibly be liable for the deaths of prisoners that were incarcerated in San Quentin Prison that were caused by a COVID-19 outbreak after the transfers of multiple prisoners that were infected with the virus, a federal appeals court ruled two weeks ago. No cases were reported by t...

Executions became banned in 2019 under the passing by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with the ending of San Quentin's death row unit. The hopeful replacement for it is “a center for innovation focused on education, rehabilitation, and breaking cycles of crime.” This would bring the state a c...

On Chumash land that is located in the state of California by government terms, is a big stretch of land along the coastline, known as Lisamu', that has been fought for to be a marine sanctuary that is six times bigger than all of Yosemite. Violet Sage Walker is a key player in trying to make tha...

Only two U.S. Presidents have recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day, including President Joe Biden. According to NPR, in 2021, President Biden had issued a proclamation to make the observation of the holiday on October 9th, to honor Indigenous individuals of the Americas, for their dedications and ...

Kevin McCarthy is no longer the Speaker of the House, and the first to be removed this way. The final vote was 216-210 in favor of a motion to "vacate the chair." Eight Republicans, led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, joined all Democrats present in voting against McCarthy. According to news source...

This week, one of the largest medical systems in the nation, made a statement that they will continue to provide quality care for its 12.7 million members and patients. This upcoming strike would be the largest health care strike in the nation's history, with more than 75,000 workers across the ...

Taxes doubled on guns and ammunition will now be enforced in the state of California, for the purpose of having more funding for security at public schools and violence prevention programs. This was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom a week ago. Taxes on ammunition and guns have already be...

With the amount of bills, contracts, and economic shifts occurring this year in California, it seems that the default of corporate interests are becoming more apparent than ever. Constituents are coming together as the majority rather than grand division yet it is not reflected within legislative...

Smuggling cell phones in facilities done by a former correctional officer in exchange for accepting bribes, is now part of a criminal investigation. In a statement from the U.S. Dept. of Justice on Thursday, Stephen Joseph Crittenden, 43, of Suisun City, has been indicted on two counts of briber...

Employment and state laws intersecting has become a normalizing approach on how to improve workplace conditions. From giving paid sick leaves to restrictions on what can be asked during the hiring process, federal intervention has also become a key player on making these changes nationwide.   Ac...

Youth members from vulnerable communities will soon be receiving skateboards curated and built by system impacted individuals, including those in prisons. The main partner here, Fresno Skateboard Salvage, is a nonprofit organization that Skateboarder Rodney Rodriguez started. His organization an...

Almost three decades in a California prison for sexual assault, kidnapping, and robbery with no end in sight for Gerardo Cabanillas. This wasn't a plan he was expecting in his life, and a new DNA test had proven that thought. He is completely innocent and now released. His exoneration was last w...

The fight from community officials and advocates for immigrants is not over, after a vetoed bill decided by Governor Gavin Newsom. This bill if tuned into law, would have given immigrants protections from federal authorities that can potentially further detain them or enforce deportations after r...

Gun owners will no longer be banned from having magazines that are detachable can hold more than the legally allowed amount, 10 rounds. This was ruled last Friday. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez was who made the decision, but it won't be passing without a fight. California Attorney General Ro...

Focusing on the U.S. Constitution when it comes to the eligibility of Trump's position to even run for re-election of the country's presidency next year, it's a divisional outlook in whether he has violated any amendments. The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, following the Civil War, and its...

Even after an appeal after a decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court, an enforcement of an Alabama voting rights act has been blocked. Earlier this summer, it was ruled that the congressional map of the state of Alabama, a predominantly conservative region with seven congressional districts; the...

A long five days going back to the negotiation table, but a journey led by screenwriters in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) with reaching a tentative agreement with the studios and streamers, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), to end a strike that began on May 1st...