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Politics and Policy
Chronic Funding Shortfalls Frustrate County Coroners The California Health Report, 6/28/16 Coroners throughout California and the nation say a chronic shortage of funds to pay for medical examinations and investigation endangers the public health.
Under New Law, Cops Carrying Overdose Drug Are Saving Lives State of Health, 2/1/16 Last year California lawmakers authorized police officers to carry naloxone, also commonly known by a brand name, Narcan. Now, a handful of law enforcement agencies are issuing the emergency medication to officers.
Los Angeles County Struggles With Mentally Ill Inmates The California Health Report, 8/24/14 One of every five Los Angeles County Jail inmates has been diagnosed with a mental illness, a statistic that leads authorities to describe the jail system as the nation's largest mental institution. As county authorities prepare to modernize their jail, the Los Angeles County District Attorney is joining calls for a system to get the mentally ill out of the penal system and into more effective treatment.
Ojai Residents May Buy Out Company That Supplies Their Water The California Report, 8/27/13 Voters in Ojai, east of Santa Barbara, decide Tuesday whether to buy out the private company that provides their water. The little city is one of a number across the nation that have soured on private water over a series of rate hikes in recent years.
Ontario Airport Struggles to Stay Aloft The California Report, 6/7/12 The sluggish economic recovery and volatile jet fuel prices have made for a lot of airline industry turbulence in recent years. As airlines reduce less profitable routes, smaller airports are often the first to suffer. Ontario International Airport east of Los Angeles is a case in point. (4:55)
Bankruptcy 'Not an Option' to help L.A. Marketplace Morning Report, 4/26/10 Los Angeles' high pension costs are a big budgetary problem for the city, and bankruptcy may be on the horizon. But L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa insists that's not an option. (4:00)
The Buzz on the Border The Press-Enterprise, 4/14/05 Drawn up for the first time on the Mexican frontier, the Minutemen try to define a movement.
A Dramatic Pause Over a Dramatic Role The Christian Science Monitor, 9/18/03 Hollywood watches, deadpan, as Arnold Schwarzenegger enters the race for governor of California.
Some San Bernardino city officials say neglect responsible for budget crumble The Press-Enterprise, 2/13/09 Long before the current recession hit, San Bernardino City Hall was warned to bring order to its finances.
San Bernardino City Hall needs seismic retrofit, engineers say The Press-Enterprise, 09/28/07 San Bernardino City Hall was constructed using techniques that were outlawed two years after the building was completed. Now, upgrades to address seismic risks could cost half what the building is worth.
Ventura County Truancy Crackdown The California Report, 1/21/03 Law enforcement officials see a link between skipping school and committing much more serious offenses later on. In Ventura County, Calif., authories are trying to make truants change their ways with especially severe penalties. (4:49)
Criminal Justice
Jail Payoffs NPR: All Things Considered, 6/3/97 The Los Angeles County Jail offers cash settlements after keeping inmates locked up too long. (5:17)
Aging Inmates Marketplace, 7/23/03 California's prison system is the biggest and most expensive in the country. And it's getting more expensive as the incarcerated population ages. (4:29)
A Child Before the Law Monitor Radio, 6/24/97 The case of a 14-year-old boy who shot and killed his mother raises questions about a new California law that lowers the age threshold for trying minors as adults. (6:09)
Law Enforcement
Training Police to Better Respond to Autism The California Health Report, 9/19/16 Amid increased public scrutiny of law enforcement tactics, some Southern California agencies have started specialized training to help officers read the signs of autism and respond appropriately.
Two Illegal Narcotics Arrests Alleged The Press-Enterprise, 7/17/08 A police narcotics squad leader is accused of holding suspects “on ice” in the city jail, without charge.
San Bernardino police executive allegedly advised police staff to avoid “use of force” in reports The Press-Enterprise, 10/1/08 A patrol supervisor urges officers to use an “innocuous phrase” in reporting confrontations or arrests that involve the use of force.
San Bernardino police sergeant's memo draws reactions The Press-Enterprise, 5/14/07 A police supervisor has urged officers to downgrade reports on some alleged robberies involving drug transactions, calling the incidents “civil matters.”
Police captain douses shoes, stirs mystery The Press-Enterprise, 1/24/09 Department brass aren't saying why a captain gathered up all the stray shoes in a department locker room, pitched them in the shower and turned on the water, ruining at least $500 worth of footwear.

Politics and Policy

Criminal Justice

Law Enforcement