Residents Take City Leaders to Task Over Crime Rate

Posted April 8th, 2008 by kdunlap
in

About 200 residents voiced their frustrations and concerns about Oakland's violent crime problem at a townhall meeting Saturday with city leaders.

The meeting held at Acts Full Gospel Church also brought out State Assembly members Sandre Swanson and Loni Hancock. They talked about several state assembly bills designed to curb the crime problem.

Greg Newman, 55, a volunteer at Merritt College attended the meeting and expressed skepticism that real change could come from top officials. He said progress needs to happen at the street level.

"We got all the laws on the books, '' he said. "What we need is to enforce the laws.''

Police on the ground level should have more input into policy than ivory tower officials, he added.

Several city officials touted their accomplishments tackling crime during the last several years. However, many residents disagreed and said the city's anti-crime programs have failed. They criticized the lack of programs for youth and ex-cons.

Former convict, William Clark said he is not on parole or probation but still has trouble finding work.

"We change our life just like everyone else does,'' he said. ``Will you help us find work?''

Below is a list of the Assembly Bills discussed at the meeting:

 

Bill name: AB499

The gist: Works to decriminalize sexually exploited minors.

According to: Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland)

Bill name: AB1961

The gist: Gives convicted drug-offenders a second chance to find work by allowing them to have their records sealed once they finish probation.

According to: Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland)

Bill name: AB1996

The gist: Changes existing law that makes drug offenders ineligible for food stamps, granting them access to the program.

According to: Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland)

Bill name: AB1965

The gist: Gives structure to the release of 22,000 prisoners that Gov. Schwarzenegger recently called for, prioritizing convicts 55 years or older who have served more than half their sentence, especially if they have health problems.

According to: Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland)

Bill name: AB1984

The gist: Requires the state to administer an AIDS test to everyone released from prison.

According to: Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland)

Bill name: AB3063

The gist: Prohibits employers from asking ex-convicts about convictions if the records are sealed.

According to: Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland)

Bill name: AB2099

The gist: Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue identification cards to every state parolee.

According to: Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley)

Bill name: AB2893

The gist: Deals with the disproportionate presence of liquor stores in troubled communities.

According to: Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley)

Bill name: AB2929

The gist: Requires the state to generate a reentry plan for every parolee.

According to: Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley)

Bill name: AB2566

The gist: Lifts the state preemption on localized gun regulation, so cities with gun-related crime problems can deal with the issue locally.

According to: Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley)

Bill name: AB1250

The gist: Requires state facilities housing juvenile offenders to provide information to its wards in their first language, and provides for families to be granted state transport to and from juvenile facilities.

According to: Martha Toscano of State Sen. Don Perata’s office.

Sean Maher, Oakland Tribune Correspondent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill name: AB2566

On April 24th, 2008 Anonymous said:
Lifting the state firearms laws preemption clause? Asinine. The problem in California isn't with those who legally own firearms; it is with those who illegally possess and use firearms. The irony is that in Reno or Carson and most places in Nevada where I live part year, any citizen who is not a convicted felon and has not been involuntarily committed by a court to a mental institution can obtain a concealed carry permit after taking a training course. Things are *much* more peaceful there than in Oakland. Perhaps if the citizens in California were allowed to defend themselves the criminals would switch to non-violent offenses rather than risk being injured themselves - it seems to work in other states. Despite all the hysteria about "gun violence" as a result of concealed carry on demand for honest citizens the realities have been quite different - violent crime goes *down* in areas where the honest can legally carry. Violent crime also goes *down* when the existing laws regarding felons in possession of weaponry are enforced. Unfortunately, in California this is not the practice. Not even in Oakland where murder has become a normal everyday occurrence. When a violent crime happens the relatives of the criminal immediately inform us as to what a good boy the criminal is - and the courts seem to have an unfortunate tendency in sentencing to agree with the friends of the criminal.