Guest Commentary: The Crime and Homelessness Conundrum – Why Enlarging County Jail Isn’t Helpful
By Mark Dempsey My email to Sacramento County: Supervisors, Spending a billion dollars to enlarge the County…
COURT WATCH: Woman with Long ‘Rap Sheet’ Denied Release on Shoplifting Arrest
By Helen Shamamyan MODESTO, CA – A woman with what the judge said was a long “rap…
Guest Commentary: Voting Rights for People Held in Jail
By Jasmine Ross Approximately half a million Americans are held in county jails and are eligible to vote, but…
COURT WATCH: Homeless Man in Jail for Allegedly Vandalizing Chopped Down Tree; Judge Releases Him after Explanation
By Citlalli Florez WOODLAND, CA – An accused homeless man was released from county jail here last…
Guest Commentary: ‘News’paper Misses the Boat on Big Sacramento Jail Story
By Mark Dempsey In 2020, the McClatchy family sold its papers, including the Sacramento Bee, to a…
COURT WATCH: Moment of Silence Changes Judge’s Decision – Sends Man to Jail
By Adam Solorzano WOODLAND, CA – Here Friday in Yolo County Superior Court, Judge Roy Hashimoto had…
COURT WATCH: Unhoused 50-Year-Old Woman with Physical Disability Unable to Do Alternative Service Sent to Jail for 30 Days on Misdemeanor Drug Possession
By Audrey Sawyer WOODLAND, CA — A 50-year-old woman who is currently unhoused and who wasn’t allowed…
Barz Behind Bars: Improving Prison Literacy Rates through Creative Program
By Benjamin Frandsen MCFARLAND, CA — In 2022, Dr. Brandt Choate, the California Director of the…
Guest Commentary: Simple Math
By Lyle C. May In 2015, 40 people died in North Carolina’s county jails. In 2018, the…
Guest Commentary: Living in the Bubble
By Elizabeth Hawes When you first arrive in county jail, you are segregated from others in the…
Guest Commentary: The Pretrial Pressure Cooker
By DC Content note: Names have been changed to protect the identities of people whose experiences are…
Woman Cites Transportation Issues for Failing to Serve Jail Time; Eventually Accepts Forced Labor Alternative
By Michael Apfel and Belen Avelar WOODLAND, CA – A woman, who had previously pled guilty to…
Judge Orders Man to County Jail after Felony Elder Theft, Other Crimes
VENTURA, CA – During Michael Capelli’s lengthy sentencing hearing last Thursday in Ventura County Superior Court, the…
Court-Appointed Panel Submits Report Highly Critical of LA Jails under Sheriff Villanueva
By Ava Schwartzapfel LOS ANGELES, CA— Officials here have asked for a status conference to be held…
Man Released from Custody to Parents after 64 Days in Jail for Alleged DUI and Battery against Those Same Parents
By Mairead Perez SANTA BARBARA, CA – Leonardo Ramos appeared before Judge Pauline Maxwell here in Santa…
Guest Commentary: This Place Isn’t Meant to Help You Get Better
This piece is part of a collection of stories from The Breaking Point Project. Interviews were conducted…
