California Policies

A Glimpse Into Justice: Judge Manley’s Drug Courtroom is What the Justice System Should Be

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Written by Gail Noble, ACJP Organizer
9/12/2011

The hallway was crowded with people waiting for Judge Manley’s courtroom doors to open at 9:00am. I did not know what to expect. This was my first time at Drug Court. I was there on behalf of a community member who came to ACJP who needed support.

Judge Manley began to address the court room, “I look forward to having people move on with their lives. There are eight to ten graduates this week.” He further instructed the courtroom.  “I do not want anyone laughing when a client’s case is being heard.” He also wanted everyone to clap for every client after their case is heard, even if they have failed. “I believe that they can get it right.”

As I watched Judge Manley’s courtroom operations, I could see justice playing out at its highest level. Clients looked like the weight of the world was being lifted off their shoulders. Justice was seeing them as a human being and not PFN#.

In one particular case, Judge Manley told the client to see her probation officer (PO) within the next couples of days. The client replied, “I don’t have any money, or transportation to go see my PO.” Judge Manley then said, “See your case manager. They will help assist with that.” A lady got up, and walked over, sat down beside her, and started talking with her. I guess her job was to make sure she was connected with a case manager who would assist with her financial needs.

A young man’s name was called. He stepped forward.  Judge Manley praised him for completing the program and spoke words of encouragement for his future. All of a sudden, Judge Manley got up from his chair, came down to the floor, walked up to the young man, and extended his hand to shake. They shook hands, and the Judge gave the young man a hug in the process.  I stared with amazement; everyone began clapping. I was moved by the caring and compassion that Judge Manley displayed towards the graduate and to all the other clients that followed.

Justice is not blind in Judge Manley’s courtroom.

San Jose Police Ends Collaboration with ICE After Months of Advocacy from Immigrant Communities

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After months of advocacy from San Jose immigrant advocacy organizations, civil rights groups, and service agencies — the San Jose police is withdrawing their participation from the controversial Homeland Security/ICE program called “Operation Community Shield.” Initial news of the program drew a widespread backlash from immigrant communities who said placing two ICE agents within the SJPD would cause waves of distrust in local law enforcement. Groups such as Sacred Heart Community Services, SIREN, PACT, and De-Bug organized public community responses to share their message that community trust is an important feature of a smart public safety framework. Today, the SJPD sent out the following press release.

San Jose Police Chief Chris Moore has announced that the San Jose Police Department is concluding its partnership with Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Community Shield (OCS).

The San Jose Police Departments involvement in OCS began on June 24th as part of Chief Moores plan to halt an alarming increase in gang violence in the city. Other components to the plan involved redirecting the 38 member METRO Unit to focus on All gangs, all the time. The METRO Unit has since made over 315 arrests. Approximately 70% of the arrests have been gang-related. Chief Moore also directed the Patrol Division to deploy additional officers as daily gang suppression cars to further decrease gang violence. Continue reading →

Pastor Johnny Welcomes Parolees Home, and Connects Them with Needed Services

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Pastor Johnny LaPenias about to start a weekly meeting with parolees.

On a Tuesday morning, in a barren warehouse across the street from Superior Court, Pastor Johnny is leading a gathering of over 40 parolees in a meeting that is part resource fair, part spiritual revival.  The meeting, called Parole and Community Team, is mandated by parole, and is for every recently released parolee from the state prison system that is returning to Santa Clara County. Drawing little attention, it’s been happening for years with a new group of recently returned former inmates every week, both men and women, and may be the first time anyone has said two profoundly important words to them “welcome home.” Continue reading →

ACJP Organizer Blanca Bosquez Explains Coerced Pleas on Gene Burn’s KGO Radio Show

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Blanca Bosquez

ACJP organizer Blanca Bosquez was on widely listened to 810 KGO’s Gene Burn’s Show on Friday August 19th regarding the criminal justice system. Click here and listen to Blanca respond to Burn’s statement that he would, “Never take a plea if he didn’t commit the crime.” Blanca changes Burn’s position after explaining the coercive nature of the justice system, that there are innocent people that take pleas because of the time that have been incarcerated, and the threat of excessively long sentences. She also speaks to the injustices she witnessed with her own son’s case, who was falsely charged with a crime and coerced during police interrogation as a juvenile. Listen to Blanca break it down from the 33 minute mark to the 38 minute mark. By the end of the conversation, Burn’s says such travesties in the law are “frightening”and that we all “need to be vigilant, since people are so mistreated.” Great job Blanca!

San Jose Mercury News: Law could lighten the sentences of California juvenile offenders serving life without parole

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Up on the line for the California legislature to consider is a bill that would open the possibility for juveniles under 17 serving a sentence of life without parole the opportunity to petition the court for a sentencing rehearing.  It is not a promise of release, like opponents of the bill are saying, but it is a chance.  And it is a step in the right direction.  Submission post by Charisse Domingo

Law could lighten the sentences of California juvenile offenders serving life without parole

by Karen de Sa
8/20/11
San Jose Mercury News

California’s practice of locking teenage offenders in prison for life without the possibility of parole would be upended under legislation just a few votes shy of reaching the governor’s desk — a change that would move the state closer to justice in conservative Texas and every other country in the world.

The bill by state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, would create a legal pathway but no certainty of release for juvenile offenders who currently have no option but to die behind bars.

Continue reading →

Thomson Reuters News Insight: Lower sentences cut costs without raising crime

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In the state of California, we are often told that prisons and incarceration are the most effective way to reduce crime. However, this recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union points to six “tough on crime” states including Texas, that have successfully reduced their prison population while simultaneously saving millions of tax dollars by reducing how much they spend on the prisons. They have accomplished this through a number of very reasonable reforms, such as quality rehabilitation programs for prisoners who are no longer a threat, ending mandatory minimum sentences, and reducing sentences for small amounts of marijuana possession, to name a few. — Post Submission by Ernest Chavez

NEW YORK, Aug 9 (Reuters) – Six states that reduced incarceration rates by focusing on parole or probation instead of prison time have cut costs without increasing crime rates, according to a report released on Tuesday. Continue reading →

San Francisco Families Protest S-Comm Deportations

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On the frontlines protesting ICE’s arbitrary rules under S-COMM are immigrant families pushing against the program’s implementation of nationwide deportations.  Documentary photographer, journalist, and organizer David Bacon captures these images at a recent protest against ICE.

Photos by David Bacon (dbacon.igc.org)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – 12AUGUST11 – Immigrants, unions, churches and social service organizations march through downtown San Francisco to the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a division of the Department of Homeland Security.  They protested an ICE decision  to implement the Secure Communities enforcement program, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deportations, even though some states have tried to withdraw from their implementation agreements with ICE. California legislators are poised to pass a bill calling on the state to do so also.  Many immigrants brought their children to show that the impact of increased enforcement is the separation of families when some members are deported.

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The Stanford Daily: Three Strikes Project fights life sentences for nonviolent recidivists

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At ACJP, we often see families coming in who have loved ones doing life sentences for non-serious offenses due to the Three Strikes law. Until the law is changed, there are few legal advocates who are taking on these cases. But the Three Strikes Project, run by students at Stanford Law School, was founded in 2006 and has since reduced 15 sentences for prisoners who have committed a nonviolent crime as their third offense. The Stanford Daily’s Marwa Farag wrote the following article delving into the work of this student-run group. – Post submission by Betsy Wolf-Graves

Susannah Karlsson and Mike Romano of Stanford's Three Strikes Project.

Students at Stanford Law School are fighting to change what is known as the Three Strikes Law in the California criminal justice system.

The Stanford Three Strikes Project, founded in 2006, takes on clients who are facing life sentences under the Three Strikes Law, which mandates a 25-year to life sentence for third-time offenders. The third offense need not be “serious” or “violent” for the law to be applied. Continue reading →