Highbrow Magazine - Governor Jerry Brown https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/governor-jerry-brown en How to Reduce America’s Reliance on Incarceration https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2767-how-reduce-america-s-reliance-incarceration <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Wed, 09/04/2013 - 09:40</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumindigentdefendants_1.jpg?itok=_Hipx9fd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumindigentdefendants_1.jpg?itok=_Hipx9fd" width="480" height="291" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> From our content partner, <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2013/08/prison-expansion-out-of-touch-with-voters-and-common-sense.php">New America Media</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Opinion:</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> There is momentum building in California and around the country for common sense criminal justice practices that reduce America’s overreliance on incarceration. Even those who have been the most ardent proponents of flawed Get Tough on Crime polices have come around. The United States Justice Department, hard right-wing politicians, and even some victim groups have all agreed that there are far too many people incarcerated in this country, at far too great a cost to society.</p> <p>  </p> <p> But the purportedly progressive Gov. Jerry Brown and even the state Democratic caucus are poised to launch one of the country’s only state prison expansion plans. At a time when most states are reducing the number of inmates and closing prisons, California is preparing to expand the number of prison beds. Even in the face of a federal Three Judge Panel order which was re-confirmed by the U.S Supreme Court to reduce the state’s overcrowded prisons, Gov. Brown is defiantly moving forward with a plan that will hurt the residents of California.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Speaking in California recently, the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said, “Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long, and for no truly good law enforcement reason.” The Attorney General went on to explain that, “Widespread incarceration at the federal, state, and local levels is both ineffective and unsustainable. It imposes a significant economic burden – totaling $80 billion in 2010 alone.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> In agreement with this sentiment, last year California voters approved Prop. 36 to amend the notorious Three Strikes Law so that individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses are not sentenced to life in prison. A few months earlier, the California Legislature approved and the Governor signed into law SB 9, which prohibits children from being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A number of recent polls also show that California voters very clearly prefer rehabilitation over incarceration and agree that too much money is being wasted by the state on prisons.</p> <p>  </p> <p> In a recent Op-Ed in the <em>Fresno Bee</em>, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Republican leader of the California Assembly Pat Nolan, urged the state legislature to pass SB 260, a bill that would reduce incarceration in state prisons by allowing youth charged as adults to have their sentences reconsidered after serving at least 10 years and having engaged in rehabilitative programming. “For every individual granted release, the public will save at least $474,000 for each 10 years cut off his or her sentence,” Gingrich and Nolan write.</p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/2indigentdefendants.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 279px;" /></p> <p>  </p> <p> In the face of mounting evidence that incarceration is ineffective and grossly expensive and that the public desires a redirection of corrections spending on priorities like education – disappointingly, the Governor is caving to special interest.</p> <p>  </p> <p> As a former law enforcement official who oversaw correctional facilities, I am clear that there are certain individuals who are a genuine risk to the public safety and need to be incarcerated and rehabilitated. But there are thousands of inmates in state prisons today who if released, would pose little to no public safety risk. This includes inmates who are elderly and infirmed; inmates who are severely disabled; inmates whose only crime is being addicted to drugs; and inmates who have already served long sentences, still including those who came in as minors, and have proven rehabilitated and deserve a second chance.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The Governor and the legislature should reconsider the ill-advised plan to expand prison beds and abide by the federal court, clear evidence, and the will of California residents and responsibly reduce the state’s oversized prison population.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> <em>David Muhammad is the CEO of Solutions, Inc. consulting firm. He is the former Chief Probation Officer of Alameda County Probation and the former Deputy Commissioner of New York City Probation.</em></p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/news/">New America Media</a></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/prisons" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">prisons</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/american-prisons" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">american prisons</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/prisoners" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">prisoners</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/incarceration" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">incarceration</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/us-prison-system" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">us prison system</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/governor-jerry-brown" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Governor Jerry Brown</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/california-prisons" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">california prisons</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/crowded-prisons" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">crowded prisons</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">David Muhammad</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New America Media</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Wed, 04 Sep 2013 13:40:34 +0000 tara 3446 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2767-how-reduce-america-s-reliance-incarceration#comments In Calif., Gov. Brown Suffers a Blow to Communities Facing Health Threats From Climate Change https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2441-calif-gov-brown-suffers-blow-communities-facing-health-threats-climate-change <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Thu, 05/16/2013 - 10:04</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumJerryBrown%20%28amadscientist%20Wiki%29.jpg?itok=3DXqcv9k"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumJerryBrown%20%28amadscientist%20Wiki%29.jpg?itok=3DXqcv9k" width="480" height="360" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> From <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2013/05/in-may-revise-gov-brown-raids-fund-to-tackle-climate-change.php">New America Media</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> For months, hundreds of community members and advocates participated in workshops throughout California to figure out how to spend millions generated through the state’s cap-and-trade program. Just when the groups finally hammered out an investment plan that would start to pump money back to communities, Gov. Brown proposed Tuesday to divert that money to the general fund.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Part of Brown’s May budget revise, advocates say the move is a setback for communities facing the greatest health threats from climate change.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “Communities of color were the ones that defeated Prop 23 [the so-called Dirty Energy Prop], carried margins electing Gov. Brown. This is the wrong time to not be making good on the promise of improving environment, health and job creation in these communities,” said Ryan Young, legal counsel for the Greenlining Institute, which sponsored legislation (SB 535) that directs a quarter of the cap-and-trade auction proceeds to disadvantaged communities.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The governor is proposing a one-time loan of $500 million from a greenhouse gas reduction (GHG) fund – where auction money is deposited – to the general fund. The figure is the projected auction revenues for 2012 to 2014. So far, the first two auctions – one last November and one in February – generated about $140 million.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Gov. Brown’s office deferred questions to the state Dept. of Finance and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA).</p> <p>  </p> <p> In a statement, the Dept. of Finance called the loan “appropriate” and “fiscally prudent,” saying the agencies need more time “to design and develop their programs to ensure that … [they] maximize long-term greenhouse gas reductions.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> “We felt it was premature,” said CalEPA spokesperson Jim Marxen. “We don’t know how much money we’re going to have. [The $500 million] is a projection … plus three additional auctions. As [the money] comes into [the GHG reduction fund] it will be loaned to the general fund.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/4climatechange.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 335px;" /></p> <p>  </p> <p> He added that the Air Resources Board (ARB), the agency tasked with implementing A.B. 32, will update the “Scoping Plan” by the end of the year.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “We can make a better decision with that info,” he said.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Mari Rose Taruc, state organizing director for the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), said she was “heavily disappointed” by the governor’s move.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “I don’t know what more vetting they could have done,” said Taruc, referring to the ARB’s process to craft an investment plan. “[They held] three workshops across the state … multiple hearings on this issue. [There were] lots of opportunities for public comment. It doesn’t make sense.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> APEN advocates on behalf of Southeast Asians and other residents in Richmond, Calif. who live near the Chevron oil refinery and face health impacts from pollution. Taruc said community members were very “excited about” and engaged in the ARB’s workshops to craft an investment plan, because they want healthy and prosperous communities.</p> <p>  </p> <p> She said the governor is diverting funds that are specifically intended to address climate change and “toward pollution reduction.” The impact of those funds would be diluted in the general fund, she said.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The state says it will pay back the loan with interest, but has not specified when it would do so.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “There were some win-win programs [in the investment plan],” said Young, the lawyer for the Greenlining Institute, including “low income energy efficiency…[and] restoring transit options for low income communities.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Young said the governor’s decision isn’t necessary, pointing to the state’s budget surplus of $2.8 billion this fiscal year, and he called it “the wrong move.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> “We want to see tangible benefits starting now when the program is starting off. It’s precedent-setting to do that,” he said. “Buy loaning these monies out, it really shortchanges these communities.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2013/05/in-may-revise-gov-brown-raids-fund-to-tackle-climate-change.php">New America Media</a></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/governor-jerry-brown" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Governor Jerry Brown</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/california-governor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">california governor</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/climate-change" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/cap-and-trade-funds" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cap and trade funds</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/health-problems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">health problems</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/clean-energy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">clean energy</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ngoc Nguyen</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Amad Scientist (Wikipedia Commons)</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Thu, 16 May 2013 14:04:00 +0000 tara 2868 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2441-calif-gov-brown-suffers-blow-communities-facing-health-threats-climate-change#comments Shark Fin Controversy Escalates into Lawsuit https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1445-shark-fin-controversy-escalates-lawsuit <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Sun, 08/05/2012 - 15:44</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumsharkfin.jpg?itok=rHEz2AhY"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumsharkfin.jpg?itok=rHEz2AhY" width="480" height="268" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> From <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2012/07/lawsuit-claims-shark-fin-ban-discriminatory-against-asians.php">New America Media</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> The San Francisco-based Chinatown Neighborhood Association (CNA) announced last week that it intends to file a lawsuit to overturn California Assembly Bill 376, a new law banning the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The bill, proposed by Democratic Assembly members Jared Huffman and Paul Fong, was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last October. Although it went into effect Jan. 1 of this year, the law allows restaurants and individuals to use or sell shark fins they obtained legally until July 1, 2013.</p> <p>  </p> <p> CNA President Pius Lee told the Chinese-language newspaper <em>Epoch Times</em>  the association believes the shark fin ban is unconstitutional. The publication also reported that Lee criticized the legislation for discriminating against a longstanding Chinese tradition.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Supporters of the ban, many of them Chinese Americans, said increasing demand for the expensive cuisine is responsible for decimating the shark population.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Proponents of the bill also contend that high demand for the culinary delicacy causes violations of the illegal fishing practice of cutting off the fins of living sharks and tossing back into the sea still alive. Some supporters of the ban believe the practice is so violent and cruel, it damages the image of Chinese people and their culture.</p> <p>  </p> <p> However, Lee said AB 376 violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, which prohibits discrimination against any ethnic group by targeting and banning a cultural practice unique to their culture.</p> <p>  </p> <p> "Chinese have traditionally eaten shark-fin soup to celebrate weddings, birthdays of elders and festivals, such as the Chinese New Year,” Lee said.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Charging that the law is contradictory, Lee asserted, that it “allows consumers to eat shark meat, but not shark fin, which is leading to racial tensions. How can you save the shark if you ban eating only the fins, but not the shark meat," Lee asked?</p> <p>  </p> <p> The shark-fin ban, Lee claimed, should also be invalidated under the constitution’s Commerce Clause because it interferes with the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. Lee added that the ban violates the constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which established that federal law preempts state legislation in such cases.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Xiao-Bin Zhou, president of Asian American for Political Advancement, agreed with Lee and told the <em>World Journal</em>, "The ban allows other racial-background customers to eat 95 percent of a shark, but it doesn't allow Chinese Americans to eat shark fin, which is only 5 percent of a shark. The ban does not provide the equal right for all racial groups.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Carl Chan, a board member of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, echoed Lee’s viewpoint. He told the Chinese-language KTSF-TV News, “This bill targets Chinese, saying that we are the people who are endangering the [shark] species, which is not true.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> But Assembly Member Fong told the <em>Chinese Daily</em>, "The bill does not discriminate against Chinese Americans. The purpose of the bill is to stop the killing of sharks for [their] fins and to save the world's dwindling shark population."</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/shark-fin" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">shark fin</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/chinese" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Chinese</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/food" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Food</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/shark-fin-soup" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">shark fin soup</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/lawsuit" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">lawsuit</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/shark-fin-lawsuit" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">shark fin lawsuit</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/governor-jerry-brown" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Governor Jerry Brown</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">California</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/chinatown" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Chinatown</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/chinese-american-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Chinese American</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/discrimination" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">discrimination</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Summer Chiang</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New America Media</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:44:05 +0000 tara 1345 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1445-shark-fin-controversy-escalates-lawsuit#comments