April 26 Community meeting: Stopping Oakland’s Violence (Opinion)
Blog entry by Paula Hawthorn.
Last updated at Tue, 24 Apr at 8:10am.

I can’t abide meetings where everyone just wants to get together and complain: although it is certainly good for people to be able to vent, what I wanted to do when helping to organize the April 26 community meeting at my church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, is to find out what is being done, what can be done, and how we can help stop the violence in Oakland. 

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ACLU realignment report indicates many counties ill-prepared for alternatives to incarceration
Article by Micky Duxbury.
Last updated at Tue, 27 Mar at 7:04am.

“After decades of ‘tough on crime’ policies and draconian sentencing practices, the state correctional system - one of the largest incarcerators in the largest incarcerating country in the world – finally buckled under its own weight, ” is the opening line of the just-released ACLU report

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Oakland police warn of "rat pack" robberies, driveway and sidewalk attacks
Blog entry by Susan Mernit.
Last updated at Wed, 15 Feb at 1:29am.

First it was jewelry, then it was cell phones. Now, it's being preoccupied leaving your car - or just leaving your car, period. 

Oakland Police are issuing warnings that the time between exiting your vehicle and getting in the door in Oakland now has increased the threat of robbery. The latest missive reads:

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See The Violence Interrupters, February 9, 2012 at OMCA
Article by Abel Habtegeorgis.
Last updated at Wed, 1 Feb at 11:52pm.

Ever watch something and knew almost immediately that what you were watching was important, amazing, and groundbreaking? As soon as it was done you went and told everybody- making pleas with them to watch the movie for their own benefit.

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Public Safety Summit Sends Mixed Messages (Opinion)
Blog entry by Isaac Ontiveros.
Last updated at Mon, 17 Oct at 7:40am.

 by Jayden Donahue, Stop the Injunctions Coalition, Critical Resistance

(Note: An OL reporter covered  Saturday's summit; this is an opinion piece by members of a group attending. As always everyone is welcome to share their views; email editor@oaklandlocal.com)

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Have we already tried social programs to fight crime? (Community Voices)
Blog entry by Don Macleay.
Last updated at Wed, 5 Oct at 9:23pm.

A couple weeks back I had coffee with a person I respect a lot, who is in favor of the new gang injunction, the curfew and all that kind of stuff.  He truly believed that when it comes to social programs that would get to the roots of the problems “we have tried all that”.  I did not argue because I wanted to hear him out, but I think he could not be mor

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Judge Warns City: You Are Running Out of Time (Community Voices)
Blog entry by rashidah grinage.
Last updated at Mon, 3 Oct at 7:10am.

No one knew what to expect from the Negotiated Settlement Agreement Status Hearing before Judge Henderson on September 22nd. As the Judge himself admitted at the outset, “This one is somewhat different.” Going on to comment that this is no longer “business as usual,” he stated that, “we need to change things that are being done as well as attitudes.” 

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What really makes a community safe? (Community Voices)
Blog entry by rashidah grinage.
Last updated at Mon, 3 Oct at 7:04am.

The prevailing notion is that public safety depends on how many police officers you have relative to the population and, the more officers, the more safe.

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