How to deal with juvenile crime
State Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Berkeley Democrat who has carried some of the most far-reaching criminal justice measures in recent years, is urging that the age for trying someone as an adult be raised to 20, CalMatters’ Adria Watson reports.
- Skinner, as quoted in The San Francisco Chronicle: “We have 21 as the age for alcohol. We have 21 as the age for tobacco. The research definitely shows that there’s an age difference in things like impulse control.”
If it becomes law, Skinner’s legislation would mark a dramatic turn-around from 1994, when then-Gov. Pete Wilson signed into law measures, approved with bipartisan support, that opened the way for juveniles as young as 14 to be tried as adults for certain violent crimes, including homicide.
Back then, the Legislative Analyst’s Office reported the rate of juvenile arrests for violent offenses had increased 63.7% between 1987 and 1994, while the adult rate increased 20.2%.
That has changed:
- In 2018, juveniles accounted for 7,320 violent felony arrests, 6.5% of the total, the California Department of Justice reports.
- In 2018, police arrested 84 juveniles under age 18 for homicide. That amounted to 5.9% of all homicide arrests in California, and the number has been falling ever since 2009, the department reported.
The California District Attorneys Association, which often opposes such measures, has not taken a position. But the association’s Larry Morse noted that 18-year-olds are deemed old enough to marry, vote and join the military, and said “this seeming contradiction is of great concern.”
—CALMatters
Unraveling Footnote 42
In an action noticed by no one other that a select few insiders, the California Public Utilities Commission in 2013 gave Uber and Lyft a gift: Not only could the nascent companies operate in California, but their annual reports detailing drivers’ safety records would be kept confidential.
Journalist Seth Rosenfeld, writing for the nonprofit news organization San Francisco Public Press, reported earlier this month that the confidentiality provision was inserted without public discussion in Decision 13-09-045, Footnote 42.
Unable to gain access to the secret safety reports filed with the Public Utilities Commission, Rosenfeld used other means to document the safety records of the rideshare apps’ drivers, and found:
- More than 150 personal injury lawsuits filed against Uber in San Francisco Superior Court since 2013.
- Seven of 47 traffic fatalities in San Francisco from 2018 through August 2019 involved ride-hailing vehicles.
- More than half of the traffic citations in busy downtown San Francisco areas went to ride-hailing drivers over three years.
- Insurance companies paid $185.6 million in claims related to accidents involving ride-hailing vehicles statewide between 2014 and 2016.
Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego cited Rosenfeld’s story in a Jan. 9 letter to Commission President Marybel Batjer questioning why safety reports were confidential.
Batjer responded Tuesday that the commission is reviewing the matter, and would deliver a new decision by April 1.
- Batjer: “I appreciate your continued attention to this matter and reiterate my concern and commitment to address safety issues that affect communities across California.”
—CALMatters
Take a number: 455
Traffic accidents killed 455 cyclists in California from 2016 through 2018, the highest three-year death rate in 25 years, Phillip Reese reports for California Healthline, part of Kaiser Health News.
- That translates to 3.9 bike accident fatalities per million people.
- Nationwide, the fatal accident rate was 2.6 per million cyclists, the highest three-year death rate since the mid-2000s.
- Among the factors at play: more cars on roads, distracted driving and a consumer shift toward SUVs, Reese writes.
Los Angeles led the state with 106 deaths from 2016 to 2018, followed by Sacramento at 47.
The number of deaths fell in Orange County to 32 from 2016 through 2018, from 45 in 2006 through 2008.
In San Francisco, eight cyclists died in 2016-2018, up from six in 2006 to 2008.
—CALMatters
Moms 4 Housing back story
In the latest episode of “Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast,” CalMatters’ Matt Levin and The L.A. Times’ Liam Dillon delve into the story of homeless and housing-insecure moms who took over a vacant West Oakland home.
Wedgewood Inc. of Redondo Beach, which buys and flips homes, owned the home.
The occupation ended after Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Gov. Gavin Newsom intervened.
Dillon and Levin also talk with Aaron Glantz, author of Homewreckers, which zeroes in on investment bankers and shell companies buying up thousands of California homes.
—CALMatters
USMCA Trade Agreement becomes law
Wednesday Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05), a member of the eight-person United States Mexico Canada (USMCA) Working Group, marked the implementation of the USMCA trade agreement, a landmark trade agreement that replaces NAFTA and boosts American trade interests across the hemisphere. Thompson released the following statement after the implementing legislation was signed into law.
“The American people deserve a trade agreement that protects workers and ensures bad actors are held accountable. The original trade agreement presented to Congress fell short of those benchmarks. Our working group, led by Speaker Pelosi, conducted months of negotiations and reached the best agreement possible.
“The improved agreement defends labor rights, putting workers first. It also protects our environment and the ability to lower the cost of medications. And for the first time in history, this agreement includes enforcement provisions to hold responsible those who violate the agreement. Implementing this legislation is a big step forward for our nation’s trade interests, putting working families first.”
—Submitted
WASHINGTON
Garamendi Applauds House Democrats’ Job-Creating Infrastructure Plan
On Wednesday, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, applauded the House Democratic Caucus’ introduction of its “Moving Forward” infrastructure plan to create 10 million new jobs in America by investing $760 billion over five years. As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Garamendi will help shape this plan into legislation and strongly advocate for its adoption by the full House.
“We must act to rebuild America’s crumbling infrastructure, create good-paying middle-class jobs, and address the climate crisis in the process with infrastructure that is smarter, safer, and made to last,” Garamendi said. “Moving Forward will fix our broken, outdated infrastructure, create 10 million new middle-class jobs, build a greener transportation system for the future, and make our roads, bridges, railways, airports and ports safer for all users.”
“In Congress, I’ve long advocated for ‘Make It In America’ policies that will create millions of new middle-class jobs by rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure with American materials and workers. Moving Forward takes that goal to heart, and I look forward to supporting its vision to deliver better infrastructure and new good-paying jobs for Americans through my work on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,” Garamendi concluded.
Moving Forward is infrastructure investment that is smarter, safer and made to last – with a framework that:
- Brings existing infrastructure into a state of good repair and enables the completion of critical projects through long-term, sustainable funding.
- Sets a path toward zero carbon pollution from the transportation sector, creating jobs, protecting our natural resources, promoting environmental justice and increasing resiliency to climate change.
- Ensures a transportation system that is green, affordable, reliable, efficient and provides access to jobs.
- Provides safe, clean and affordable water and wastewater services.
- Prioritizes the safety of the traveling public.
- Helps combat climate change by creating good-paying jobs in clean energy, investing in energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
- Expands broadband internet access for unserved and underserved rural, suburban and urban communities.
- Modernizes 9-1-1 public safety networks.
- Creates family-wage jobs with Davis-Bacon and other strong worker protections.
Supports U.S. industries, including steel and manufacturing, through strong Buy America protections
—Submitted
LAKEPORT
Winter Reading Challenge continues
Midway through the Lake County Library’s Winter Reading Challenge, champions are emerging. The champions have read 1000 pages each, and Lake County readers have already logged more than 87,600 pages. The Winter Reading Challenge concludes February 29, so there’s still time to sign up and join the fun.
Everyone can participate – babies, toddlers, children, teens and adults are all welcome in the challenge. If your children don’t read on their own yet, you can still sign them up and read with them. If you don’t have a library card, it’s easy to get one by bringing your photo ID to your nearest library branch.
If you complete the 1,000 point challenge you get to pick out a brand new book donated by the Friends of the Lake County Library, sign your name in it, and be the first person to check it out.
Each branch library will award a raffle prize for teens and one for adults. The raffle drawings will take place at the end of the program and the winners will be announced on March 3. Raffle baskets contain books and cold-weather treats for adults. Teens get candy bouquets.
For more information about the Winter Reading Challenge can be found at library.lakecountyca.gov under Events.
The Lake County Library is on the internet http://library.lakecountyca.gov.
—submitted
