Category: Public Safety

Four years ago, Obama enjoyed overwhelming support from Muslim American voters. Today observers say that enthusiasm has waned.

Shifting attitudes toward prison reform, coupled with a terrible economy, may result in California voters approving Prop.36 in November.

As political leaders and law enforcement attempt to determine what has caused the tremendous bloodshed in the past couple of weeks in San Jose; writer, youth worker, and radio host David Madrid shares another perspective on the violence.

A report that the death penalty cost California $4 billion, plus increasing exonerations have built support in the fall election to end executions.

The U.S. Criminal Justice system has uncharacteristically underreported instances of prejudice, discrimination and racial profiling against South Asians. Few cases have emerged and those that have, rarely gathered much momentum.

Danny Pina recounts his journey that started when he got is arm dislocated and nose cartilage broken by a San Jose Police officer in 2009, to the ultimate jury verdict win in federal court a couple years later.

New ways of collecting information – and sharing that data across government agencies – are raising concerns over privacy rights.

Civil rights advocates are celebrating new legislation signed into law by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

Commentator Andrew Lam considers the question raised by former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice: When immigrants became the enemy, instead of America’s strength...

While it is laudable that the Obama administration has decided to reduce funding for the immigration enforcement program, 287(g), harmful parts of it will continue to tear families apart.

Congratulations to Danny Pina, who first walked into De-Bug with a dislocated elbow, a busted nose, and a false resisting arrest charge. Three years later, he finally found the justice he was seeking.

Chance for permanent residency, access to federal benefits hinge on cooperating with law enforcement.

A look back at the 10-year-old Berkeley sex trafficking case that changed the conversation around trafficking in California.

As Silicon Valley's economy slows to recover, Santa Clara County creates new program to assist those chronically homeless.

2012 could be a decisive year for the future of anti-immigration state laws, from the Supreme Court to the White House.

Santa Clara County Faith Leaders Convene to Discuss Their Role in Criminal Justice Realignment.

An India Currents contributor and legal observer, shares her experience at the Oakland occupation that has attracted national attention.

On September 14, 2011, over 200 attendees -- parolees, probationers, families, elected officials, law enforcement managers -- came together to participate in a community forum about Santa Clara County's criminal justice realignment plan.

The recently formed taskforce gave a strong rebuke to the controversial Secure Communities program, yet immigrant advocates say the recommendations do not go far enough.

This summer, De-Bug and the San Jose Downtown Association teamed up to provide activities for youth at the weekly concerts. The collaboration was a tremendous success, but still the historic event may be coming to a close.

Silicon Valley De-Bug's Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project presents a new publication that shares the stories of eight families who changed the outcome of their criminal cases through their active participation. The book is also a guide on how communities can measurably impact their local criminal justice system.

A legislative mandate that California reduce its prison population has created an opportunity to dramatically change the state’s criminal justice system. But ultimately, decisions made at the county level will decide whether or not these goals can be achieved, says writer Raj Jayadev.

A week after Kenneth Harding was killed during an altercation with San Francisco police officers on a light rail train, his mother Denika Chatman talked with San Francisco BayView reporter Natasha Reid.

Weeks after SJPD announced they will bring on two federal immigration officers, they consider participation in an initiative which calls on local police and residents to be reporting agents for federal enforcement agencies.

Silicon Valley De-Bug interviewed Bayview youth/community and young people on their thoughts and feelings on the shooting in BayView Hunters Point of the 19-year-old.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon made a rare appearance in the San Francisco Bay Area at a special town hall “Encuentro con la comunidad mexicana” with nearly 600 immigrant laborers, grassroots organizers, farm workers and other compatriots the Bay Area.

Demetrius Campbell, also known as Yung Ghost, tragically lost his life at the age of twenty on May 4, 2011. Friends and family remember him as a unique talent, loyal friend and a man of integrity.

During a week of violence in San Jose a loved member of the community, just 18 years old, was stabbed to death and A-town in San Jose is left with a greater police presence.

With escalating enforcement on immigrants, Luisa Montero offers legal protections that immigrants can use if ever faced with ICE officers.

Jeysson Minota, a permanent legal resident, faced deportation, stemming from a vandalism charge due to graffiti. After four years of being in and out of detention, he was able to beat the deportation order, and stay with his family in the US.

An advisory board member reports back from the group's first meeting, and says how the new San Jose Police Chief handles the upcoming Cinco de Mayo weekend may be an important indicator for the future of community-police relations.

On the anniversary of Arizona’s SB 1070, California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano has introduced the Trust Act – a bill to give local jurisdictions the ability to determine their own boundaries on how they work with federal immigration enforcement.

Walmart has teamed up with Jackson Hewitt, the tax preparation company, to offer "refund anticipation loans"—a scam that may target low-income minority communities.

On the heels of the one-year anniversary of a historic Supreme Court decision, attorney Angie Junck and organizer Raj Jayadev share lessons learned from a case of a San Jose man who beat a deportation order.

Author Kevin Weston says three very different high profile cases tell important stories of the conditions and realities facing African-Americans in the Bay Area.

Newly appointed Chief Moore sat down with La Oferta reporter Nahui Ollin to discuss his plans to regain trust with ethnic communities.

The early months of 2011 have already registered 11 homicides in East San Jose. Young men of color have been both victims and perpetrators of the attacks. De-Bug gathered young men from the Eastside to talk about what they are seeing on the streets, and what can be done to stop the violence.

With the implementation of new screening technologies at airports, writer Jaski Singh warns Sikhs should expect full-body pat-downs.

Read the digital version of De-Bug's print magazine. Entitled "Under the Skin of San Jose," this issue features articles from downtown hustlers, homeless youth and a new generation of cultural entrepreneurs.

David Madrid of Block to Block radio interviews Bea Mendez of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability on the recent selection of the new San Jose Police Chief.

San Jose has already registered seven homicides in 2011, nearly matching half of the total killings from the previous year. The victims are often young and brown. Marcos Reyes, who lives in the same neighborhoods where sidewalk memorials are springing up, describes what it feels like to be a part of a community in peril.

Days before news broke that the City Manager had picked the Interim Chief Moore as the next San Jose Police Chief, CJA sent a letter detailing why Chief Batts was most qualified to meet their community criteria. The City Council is expected to make their decisions regarding Chief Moore on Tuesday.

A compromised crime lab might be more endemic than an exception, and according to defense attorney Aram James, points to a larger flaw in the mechanics of the criminal justice system.

In an unprecedented collaborative effort, the two agencies have developed an approach to help inform and assist the Latino community learn about their rights to file complaints against police officers.

When the world grows too complicated and spins out of our control, as happened in Tucson, Americans turn to a parlor game called “conservatives vs. progressives.”

As the City goes into the final stages of selecting the next police chief, the Coalition for Justice and Accountability presents their Community Input Report, which shares the findings compiled from 3,000 hand-filled surveys, conducted in three languages, on what San Jose's diverse communities say they require in the next chief.

When community organizer Ernest Chavez began assisting Marian Taylor on helping her son get a transfer of his parole placement, he started on a journey navigating through a parole system that has left him with unanswered questions, and a mother still waiting for her son.

Sacred Heart Community Services, one of the largest basic needs provider in the county, held a forum on the selection of the police chief. The agency also presented the findings of their survey project on community/police relations in their surrounding immigrant neighborhood in West San Jose.

With young people desperate for jobs, many have fallen victim to job scams – seemingly great employment opportunities that turn out to be hustles. De-Bug writers share experiences of getting jobs that were, in fact, too good to be true.

The Vietnamese community of San Jose came together to discuss their criteria for the selection of the next San Jose Police Chief. The dialogue centered around officer-involved shootings and building back trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.

In 2006, Art Calderon's father, who was 68 at the time, was beaten by SJPD officers. The Calderon family was given a $97,500 settlement by the city of San Jose as a result. In episode #5 of this series, Art Calderon Jr. speaks about how the new chief can create new positive relationships in the Latino community.

In episode #4 of Message to the New San Jose Police Chief, Richard Babcock, an artist and mental health client, shares his experiences with SJPD, and his hopes for a new training protocols. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has initiated this multimedia project to inform the police chief selection process.

Despite widespread community concerns, an officer involved death, and a viral video of a police beating all last year, San Jose City officials say the police department has no problem with use of force.

The African American Services Community Service Agency held a forum that brought the African-American community together with leading San Jose city elected officials to discuss the selection of the next police chief. The effort was done in collaboration with the Coalition for Justice and Accountability.

Vinh Pham, father of Daniel Pham, who was shot to death by police last year, shares his hopes for the future in police/community relations. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has initiated this multimedia project featuring San Jose residents' experiences to inform the police chief selection process.

In Episode 2 of "Message to the New San Jose Police Chief," Alex Gutierrez shares the experiences of homeless youth's interaction with the police. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has initiated this multimedia project featuring experiences from San Jose residents about police relations to inform the San Jose Police Chief selection process.

In late October the Service, Immigrants Rights and Education (SIREN), in coordination with the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, held an open forum at the Tully Library. The dialogue, held in Spanish, brought together Latino immigrant families to discuss their concerns with the police and offer selection criteria for the next San Jose Police Chief.

Silicon Valley De-Bug and the Coalition for Justice and Accountability presents a "Message to the New San Jose Police Chief" — an ongoing multimedia project profiling a diversity of San Jose residents offering their advice and hopes for the next San Jose Police chief. This week's feature is on David Madrid, an East San Jose community member.

This October the Coalition for Justice and Accountability began a forum series to bring input from impacted communities to the selection process for the next San Jose Police Chief. The following multi-media coverage is highlights from the Youth and Families Forum held at De-Bug.

When Judge La Doris Cordell took office as the new San Jose Independent Police Auditor this Summer, distrust between communities of color and police was at an all time high. In this two-part radio segment, Demone Carter sits down with the newly appointed San Jose IPA to talk about civilian oversight, Oscar Grant, and her plans for the future of the office.

A reported 352 rapes occurred in Santa Clara County in 2009. Law enforcement and other support agencies have developed numerous ways to offer the community protection against these attacks.

When Ray Nelson went looking for guitars, he also found also a way to serve the community and provide opportunity for youth in the form of music.

With the Police Chief retiring, a new moment of possibility has arrived for building trust between communities of color and the police department. How the community is included in the selection process will set the tone for years to come.

A bill introduced by a San Diego Assembly Member would ban the public display of unloaded guns in California. This proposed bill has sparked debates around the state, including the Bay Area. Gun rights advocates are trying to prevent this law from being approved, and at the same time pushing to loosen up concealed arms limitations.

When 19-year-old Steven Powell was shot and killed at the Pink Party in San Francisco during the Gay Pride festivities, there were some unexpected reactions. Commentator Jean Melesaine, who saw a fallen Powell at the event, says the response by some in the gay community reveal underlying tensions around race and class.

Educational opportunities in prisons have been taken away, and society, not just prisoners, will be hurt in the long run, writes Malik Alayube, an inmate at High Desert State Prison. Alayube, 24 years old, is originally from San Jose, where he hopes to return one day.

On May 10, 2010 the family of Daniel Pham, the 27-year-old Vietnamese man who was shot and killed by the San Jose Police a year ago, held a vigil at City Hall.

I don't blame the paper for leaving out the remarkable life of Albert in their report, they just didn't know. What was news worthy was Albert's numerical value — the first homicide of the year in San Jose.