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Monterey County Local News: Crime & Justice


All Local Crime & Justice News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here

How the California mental health crisis emerged out of the state’s history of deinstitutionalization and laws designed to protect the mentally ill, as well as the communities around them.

Image caption: The California Supreme Court has defined the state’s legal and political agenda for more than 170 years.
How the California Supreme Court Blazes Legal Trails

The California Supreme Court has kept the state at the forefront of legal issues surrounding abortion, the death penalty and same-sex marriage, starting in its earliest days in the Gold Rush era.

Image caption: The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think

The links between homelessness and crime are complex, and the idea that unhoused individuals present a danger to their community seems to be exaggerated.

Image caption: Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained

California has historically been ahead of the rest of the country in expanding the legal right to abortion services. Here’s what state laws say today, and how we got here.

Image caption: California cities switch to more inclusive, district-based elections system.
Voting Rights...the Final Frontier

Pushed by activists, cities move from at-large elections to district races.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

11/21/2024
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Racial Justice Act into law in September 2020, following the police murder of George Floyd. For the first time, defendants can put bias from any brush with the criminal legal system — from arrest to sentencing — on the stand.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

11/20/2024
Image for display with article titled Sideshows Have Long Been a Problem for Law Enforcement; One in Prunedale Turns Deadly.

The glamour of flashy cars and high speeds in Fast & Furious don’t translate the same way in real life. A sideshow – or illegal street racing – can be exhilarating for some, but can also be dangerous.

King City Rustler logo From King City Rustler...

11/20/2024
Image for display with article titled King City Courthouse Expands Services After Years of Limited Operations

Monterey County Superior Court celebrated the expansion of services at the King City Courthouse last week, marking a significant milestone for South Monterey County residents.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

11/13/2024
Image for display with article titled King City Courthouse Opens for Expanded Services.

The Monterey County Superior Court expanded its court services in South County to offer limited services for residents every Tuesday.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

11/10/2024
California wants to protect witnesses in workplace investigations from deportation, but the Biden administration program for undocumented employees is at risk with Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

10/22/2024
With proponents of Proposition 36 raising nearly $15 million so far — about three times as much as its opponents — and 71% of likely voters in support, it appears the statewide ballot measure will pass in November. And that’s exactly what immigrant rights advocates are worried about.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

10/16/2024
Supporters of a proposition to ban forced labor in California prisons believe they have a strong message centered on rehabilitation. But as Election Day nears, polls show it’s a toss-up or trailing.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

10/06/2024
Image for display with article titled The Attack on the Popular Vote

In more than 30 states, it’s harder than ever to vote this year. But in California, it’s never been easier.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

10/04/2024
Image for display with article titled DA Charges CUSD Board Member and Candidate With Felony Election Fraud for Lying About Her Address.

A current member of the Board of Trustees of Carmel Unified School District and candidate for Area 5 has been charged by the Monterey County District Attorney for lying about her residence when she registered to vote and when she filed her declaration of candidacy.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

10/02/2024
The state Labor Commissioner sometimes struggles to get back pay to workers when it reaches wage theft settlements. It tries social media, TV and hotlines. But money owed to employees is still sitting in state accounts.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

09/27/2024
Image for display with article titled Pacific Grove Police Chief Announces Retirement After an Extended Medical Leave.

For about a year, Pacific Grove Police Chief Cathy Madalone has been out of the spotlight, reportedly working from home due to an undisclosed injury, followed by a medical leave that began back in April.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

09/25/2024
The Mercury News guide to the anti-crime and ant-drug dealing measure Proposition 36 on the November ballot.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

09/19/2024
The UC Regents approved campus requests for more tools for UC police months after campus protesters clashed with law enforcement.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

09/18/2024
Worries about retail theft and fentanyl deaths shaped a November ballot measure that would toughen some criminal penalties. Here are the facts about California crime trends.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

09/13/2024
For five years, California officials responding to the homelessness crisis had to work around one big restriction imposed by the federal courts: Because they didn’t have enough shelter beds, cities generally couldn’t make homeless camps illegal.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

09/11/2024
More than two-dozen California cities passed, strengthened or are considering ordinances that penalize people for sleeping outside, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to crack down.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

08/28/2024
California Highway Patrol officers received historically high raises in 2022 and 2023, but it continues to face a high vacancy rate of 16%.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

08/25/2024
Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken to using state resources to fight crime on a local level. Not everyone in the cities he’s taken an interest in is thrilled with the results.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

08/25/2024
In the final week of session, legislators are debating whether to give more leeway to public school teachers when to report students to law enforcement. Supporters say disabled and students of color are unfairly disciplined, but opponents say school safety is at risk.
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