Social Justice Magazine
James Clark is a writer for Change.org and an anti-death penalty campaigner based in Southern California.
From its synth-jazz theme song to its cheesy dialogue to the sage counsel of S. Epatha Merkerson, I love Law and Order. But the best part of Law and Order is the satisfying finality that every episode brings. No matter the verdict, Jack McCoy and the gang always get a cathartic sense of closure after they solve a case.Unfortunately, real trials aren’t so satisfying — especially when … [Read more...]
No one is surprised to learn that California’s death penalty is a broken and dysfunctional system. After all, you don’t have to go far in California to find any government bureaucracy that’s broken or dysfunctional – it’s finding a functional government program that might take a while. The question is: How do we fix it? How do we punish the worst criminals in a way that maximizes public … [Read more...]
I have this thing about myths. I like to know the difference between Reality and, well, Not-Reality. I spend a lot of time on Snopes.com, I avoid Fox News, my grandfather was even one of those guys who went on an expedition looking for Noah’s Ark (seriously).So I’m pleased to say that the myth of California’s death penalty is widely being exposed, as more and more people realize … [Read more...]
$4 Billion Since 1978: Time to Cut California’s Death Penalty New data in a study to be released next week on California’s death penalty has revealed that the price tag for death is even higher than we thought: $4 billion since 1978. Put another way, we spend $184 million more per year for death penalty inmates than we do on those sentenced to life without the chance of parole. All told, … [Read more...]
The ongoing debacle of California’s death penalty took a few dramatic turns last week: in the span of just a few days a new poll showed a shift in public opinion in favor of cutting the death penalty, Gov. Jerry Brown took the first step towards doing just that by cutting plans for a new death row, and the department of corrections announced that the state’s hold on executions will last … [Read more...]
Cut the Death Penalty and Save One Billion Dollars Imagine you’re strolling down the scenic route in downtown Sacramento, wondering “what the hell is California going to do about that whole money thing?” You turn the corner onto J Street, and BAM! The answer is right in front of you: cut the death penalty and save $1 billion without releasing a single prisoner. You’re immediately faced … [Read more...]
Some advocates of the death penalty say capital punishment serves family members of murder victims. Prosecutors like LA County’s Steve Cooley, one of the nation’s most prolific death penalty prosecutors, often claim they seek the death penalty because it provides victims’ family members with closure, though many crime victims and victims' advocates have questioned the myth of … [Read more...]
PCL offers monthly Open House Events on the 2nd Saturday at 2pm and 3rd Thursday at 6pm. Click here to learn more.
Loading ...
Recent Comments