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Sacramento County Crime & Justice Articles



Image caption: Same sex marriage and other rights may soon come under the SCOTUS axe.
Clarence Thomas Wants SCOTUS to Take Back More Rights

If Clarence Thomas gets his way, the Supreme Court won't stop at revoking the right to abortion. Same sex marriage, contraception and gay sex are likely to be next on the SCOTUS hit list.

Image caption: Justice Clarence Thomas calls for SCOTUS to pull back even more established rights after Roe v. Wade.
Why Clarence Thomas Wants to Throw Out Your Rights

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that after overturning Roe v. Wade SCOTUS must now overturn decisions allowing same-sex marriage and contraception. Here's why.

Image caption: The U.S. Supreme Court struck a blow at a two-decade-old California workers' rights law.
SCOTUS Scales Back Law Allowing Employee Lawsuits

The U.S. Supreme Court scaled back California's Private Attorney Generals Act, a 19-year-old law allowing workers to sue employers over labor code violations. But a new ballot initiate aims to repeal PAGA completely.

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: Crime in California cities may not be quite the voting issue the national media says it is.
Did California Voters Send a ‘Message’ on Crime? Not So Fast!

Do California's election results in Los Angeles and San Francisco mean this blue state is flirting with turning red? That's what the national media is trying to say. But there's a lot more to the story.

Image caption: Some of California's largest tech forms, such as Facebook, would be hit hard by a new Texas law.
Supreme Court Protects California’s Social Media Giants

A Texas law that would have placed cumbersome restrictions on social media companies has been blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court, in an unusual alliance between liberal and conservative justices.

Image caption: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies lost more than half of their value in just six months.
The Great Crypto Crash of 2022, Explained

Crypto investors have seen more than half of their cryptocurrency value wiped out in six months. What is crypto, and what caused the great crash of 2022?

Image caption: The scene of the K Street shooting in downtown Sacramento, in which six people were killed.
Covering the Sacramento Mass Gang Shooting

Following the K-Street shooting, a freelance journalist's thoughts about reporting on the deadliest single episode of gun violence in Sacramento history.

Image caption: A California constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights is in the works.
Abortion Rights in California After SCOTUS Opinion

Abortion rights will remain protected, even expanded in California after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Gov. Gavin Newsom vows after a leaked SCOTUS opinion reveals the court plans to abolish the right to choose.

Image caption: Seemingly minor code violations can cost struggling homeowners thousands.
Code Violations and ‘Excessive Fines’: Californians Battle Cities

Code violations, even after they're fixed, can cost struggling homeowners their homes. Some have seen fees and fines into the six figures even after repairs. Here are some of the horror stories. But what can be done about it?

Image caption: Black Panthers at the California Capitol in 1967, an incident that sparked the gun control movement.
California Gun Control, Reagan, and the Black Panthers

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.

Image caption: The homeless is California are often afflicted with severe mental health issues.
Mental Health and the Homeless: Newsom’s CARE Court Plan

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new CARE Court plan aims to get homeless Californians experiencing mental health problems into treatment and off the street. But can it actually work?

Image caption: Want to know more about California? These podcasts are a great place to start.
Golden State Podcasts

Travel, food, true crime politics—there’s a show for everyone. Here are some top-rated podcasts that focus on some aspect of California culture.

Image caption: Businesses in California must adapt to a slate of new laws in 2022.
5 New California Laws That Change How Business Does Business

California put hundreds of new laws into effect for 2022. Here are 5 that will change how business operates in the state.

Image caption: Legally betting on football and other sports is possible thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court.
How California Became the ‘Holy Grail’ for the Sports Betting Industry

How a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling created a national, legal sports gambling industry which now sees California as its own 'Holy Grail.'

Image caption: Betting on sporting events such as the Super Bowl may soon be legal in California.
California’s Four Sports Betting Initiatives

In 2022, California voters may see as many as four ballot initiatives to make betting on sporting events legal. Here’s how they would change sports gambling, and who's behind each separate measure.

Image caption: Sheriffs are supposed to stand for ’law and order,’ but some believe they are a law unto themselves.
Right-Wing Extremism Among County Sheriffs, Explained

Sheriffs in some California counties and across the USA are engaging a dangerous movement toward right-wing extremism. What does this mean for local law enforcement?

Image caption: California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger.
Leondra Kruger of California: Possible Biden SCOTUS Pick

California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger, 45, reported to be high on Pres. Joe Biden’s list for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination, is known for her cautious, moderate legal opinions.

Image caption: California is taking at least small steps to reform the county sheriffs system.
The Trouble With Sheriffs

Though they are elected officials, county sheriffs have less accountability than any other law enforcement officials. Here's why, and what California is doing about it.

Image caption: Why are homicides on the rise in California? There are several plausible theories.
What Drove Homicide Rates Up?

California homicide spiked by 31 percent in 2020. The shocking increase has continued into 2021. Here are several theories that attempt to explain the state’s suddenly rising murder rate.

Featured

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.
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
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
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
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
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
From its beginnings in the Gold Rush, the state Supreme Court continues to define the state today.