Being in a jail in a nutshell

reflect on the usefulness of this activity in enhancing your understanding of the operations of state and local governments.

What was your biggest struggle with regard to this assignment?

What did you learn by reading about other students’ experiences?

Would you recommend this CP to a future student?

I am very glad I chose this particular CP. I have been saying I wanted to work with youth prior to release for some time so this gave me the opportunity to do just that. Better than this simply being a good experience, this set the stage for permanent expansion of my record sealing outreach to include incarcerated youth.

In terms of the biggest difficulty, it was certainly getting clearance. In fact, that was the primary reason the scope changed from including both Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall as well as San Mateo to just San Mateo.

I enjoyed reading about both the struggles and successes of other people's CP's. It was good to know which offered useful experiences to people in terms of comprehending any in the future to people looking to get involved in local government at some level.

I would only recommend this particular CP to someone with experience working with this particular demographic, and who was also comfortable being in a locked unit with 15-20 high-risk youth at a time.

Final Study Guide

On the day of the final, you will answer 2 out of 3 of the following questions:

1) What is the purpose and role of local governments within the political framework of the United States?

2) How do state and local governments serve their populations differently from government at the Federal level?

3) Assume that the State of California enacted a progressive tax structure that applied to both individual income and corporate income. What values would be reflected in such a decision? What might be some of the consequences?

4) A discovery is made in the City of Dunn... the lake bed of a lake used for recreation and located near the edge of town is found to contain a large supply of unobtainium. Unobtainium is an extremely valuable industrial resource. How will you, as a city council member of the City of Dunn, propose to manage this resource?

working with Rec & Park has helped me to understand how hard it is for public sectors to get extra funding. the biggest struggle that ive came across in this assignment is finding out all of the information that the blog questions and for myself becasue alot of the employes dont no the history behind rec & park

1. why is it that property tax can keep increasing in fact double over two years in the san francisco bay area?

2. why is it that each county has a different tax rate?

3. what cant sin taxes be higher instead of sale taxes?

Two weeks left.....The real crunch begins.

I am all done with finals the Monday of finals week, so I have two weeks left until summer.

Between now and then, I've got two 15 page papers, one five page paper, several miscellaneous assignments, three presentations, I'm organizing the research conference, an awards ceremony, three 6pm-12am tech rehearsals, three dance shows, and a mandatory party.

Let the fun begin! :)

Now, the CBL assignment is complete and it's time for an assessment. I would not say that weekly contact with the police department has enhanced my understanding of the operations of state and local government in any substantial way. I've learned how to come into a meeting and convey what I'm there to convey in 30 seconds or less, but again- I have not learned about the underpinnings of the system in any substantial way. It may be due to the nature of my interaction with the officers. I was looking to establish a directive for underage alcohol violations. With the exception of the few times I had to ask officers about the nature of certain relationship within state and local government: The mayor, the governor, other local governmental units- we were not discussing state and local government very often. We did; however, talk a bit of local politics.

I recall the second meeting I had with Halloran in which we spent 45 minutes talking about collective bargaining in Wisconsin and crappy school lunches in almost every district in California. Then there were the talks with tangents that turned into THE topic (Law, Morality, and Society) and things of the like. Above all, the CBL project has been enriching for me personally. I've learned how to be quick on my feet. I've learned that being shy is a waste of time.

Perhaps most supplemental to this enrichment has been reading David's blogs about cases and experiences in the juvenile hall system.

There is no question that there are gross injustices that go unatoned because of someone's ability to be diplomatic or political. Similarly, there is also no doubt in my mind that the justice system needs to be reformed.

I do not know if I would recommend my exact community partner project to another student.

As I've mentioned previously, I do not like the way the minds of police officers work. You say consequences and they think extreme punishment.

If the community partner assignment is going to be a requirement, it should be noted in the course description so that students are not scrambling around at the last minute looking for a community partner...and have to settle with a less than ideal one.

Study Questions:

1.) What important social apparatus does the property tax fund?

2.) How would you surmise the political economy of local governments?

3.) Who rates local government bonds?

D.A. takes it to another level...or how I spent the last 3 days

Late Tuesday we get a fax from the D.A.'s office. 2 weeks ago our D.A. had requested a 2 week continuance because she was contesting our reduction motion based on the severity of the offense and the inadequate length of time since then. Same old, same old. The continuance was granted and we prepared our arguments. THen this fax came in and everything changed. The D.A. has decided to challenge the very legal basis by which we have been filing for these reductions. So the last couple days have been a mad scramble. It is a big deal because of something we learned about last class: precident. If they challenge the legallity of this procedure and we loose, then every youth in santa clara county that wants to have his/her juvenile record reduced will have a hell of a time. For those that are interested, I will give you guys the entire run-down next class because I don't think I should post the specifics on a public blog while the case is still ongoing. However it is intersting, frustrating, and in my opinion a pretty big deal.

Rest of the Semester - almost done!

WEEK FOURTEEN April 20

DUE: Chapter 12 Taxing & Spending
Blog Topic: Now that your CBL assignment is complete, please reflect on the usefulness of this activity in enhancing your understanding of the operations of state and local governments. What was your biggest struggle with regard to this assignment? What did you learn by reading about other students’ experiences? Would you recommend this CP to a future student?



WEEK FIFTEEN April 25 & 27
4/25: Final exam
4/27: Final presentations
DUE: Study for the final

Chapter 9 The Judiciary; RA #2

Does your CP ever have recourse to the judicial process as a way of resolving problems?

NO SF Rec and Park doesnt

Questions:

1. How does common law play out in court because if its not a law how can you go to court against something thats not a law?

2. How are the jurisdiction of the trial court determined?

3. how many years of lower court experience do you need 2 be a good judge?

When a baseball analogy proves to be a poor basis for crime prevention

I spent last Friday talking to the youth in SMJH about three strikes and life sentences. I went almost an hour over time, because they were so into it. I made a decision ahead of time not to dumb it down for them but to really go into the intricacies of the law as well as its history. I did the same for life sentences, and I could tell it was information that they hadn't heard before and considered very important.

In other news I have a 707(b) reduction hearing Wednesday morning so I won't see ya'll in class. A 707(b) crime is a strike-able offense that even when commited asa juvenile prevents your criminal record from ever being sealed. About 8 months ago attorneys I was working with and I found a method to petition the courts to reduce one of these offenses after which we can file to have it sealed. The individual in question hasn't had so much as speeding ticket since her offense (about 6 years ago) nor had she ever been in trouble prior. Hopefully we can make a stronger case than the D.A. and give her a chance to have a record that reflects the person she is now.

Wish me luck.

My Q's for the week:


1. Why do so few cases actually go to trial despite the fact that everyone has the right to one?

2. How come under California law everyone has a right to a "speedy trial" and yet most people go months or even years before their case is resolved?

3. In California, Juveniles who are found "delinquent" when it comes to crimes rather than guilty. Why do you think this difference between the adult system and the juvenile system exits?

Every Fifteen Minutes

This week I am faced with the daunting task of submitted a completed Methods & Methodology term paper. Good. Great. Grand.

In other news, I recently had catch up time with one of my friends from the School of Americas trip I attend last semester. She told me about a program she participated in called 'Every Fifteen Minutes' in which a drunken car crash is staged. She partook as one of the victims. The program is sort of a fake-out for the student body. Students witness the fake death of one of their classmates so that the death hits closer to home, then it is revealed that it was staged. This is designed to warn as well as scare teenagers out of drunk driving. I am thinking of having either NDNU or Notre Dame High School host a program, though our students are relatively responsible with drinking and driving. I know of one NDNU student with DUI. There is a lot of planning and thought that needs to go into this project.

Props must be donated

The city of Belmont must approve

The police and fire departments need to agree to participate

The administration needs to see it's purpose and support it

Comment on this post and share your thoughts! I'd like to have a few opinions before I take the proposal to my community partner.

And now for my weekly shpeel:

I am sad to have missed Dr. Ferdowsi's party today. I didn't go because I was feeling intensely ill when the group left.

I am, at the moment, feeding my interest in abstract philosophy...Nietzsche's concept of the Eternal Return.

Study Questions:

1.) Why are trials so exorbitantly priced?

2.) How is the state plan for choosing appellate judges determined?

3.) Page 224 states that while crime rates are down, incarceration rates are rising. What factors are attributable to this counter-intuitive negative correlation?

Q & A Time

1.) Page 166 lists the eight states that do not employ a lieutenant governor's office. Why would these states not see a need for the office as it automatically fills the governor's position in case he or she is not able to complete a term.

Ok, the year is 2009. McCain has won by 5 points and mid-westerners everywhere are shooting off newly legal assault rifles, gutting public services, and enhancing criminal penalties for illegal immigrants. Then, suddenly, McCain suffers a fatal heart attack. People everywhere are simply shocked at the idea of someone in their mid-70's with pre-existing conditions dieing so unexpectedly from something so unforeseeable.

Thankfully, we have a system where there exists a Vice President which the knowledge, capability, and sound mind needed to step in and run this country. That person is.....Sarah Palin
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Any questions?


2.) Based on the characteristics of a successful governor on pages 163-43, why did Meg Whitman lose the last gubernatorial election?

Was one of those characteristics: Not-alienating-a-huge-percentage-of-the-voting-population-in-your-state-by-firing-your-Hispanic-maid-and-suddenly-adopting-a-tough-on-immigration-approach?

Seriously though, some of the things that I think hurt her were the narrative developed early on that she was essentially buying the governorship, her social view which got noticeably more conservative over time in a state where there is a large liberal voting populace, and her lack of political experience (this includes even simply going to the ballot box and voting)


3. Why do some governors go against what they know is wrong for example when it come to laws?

I simply couldn't pass this one up. I don't even know where to start, so I'll composite a short list which I'm sure doesn't even begin to cover all the reasons:

• They are pandering to their constituents.
• They promised it on the campaign trail
• Personal gain
• It would be politically damaging in the future to have not done it(or done it)
• Pressure from their party
• etc
  

Mexican Standoff in America

With what is amounting to one hell of a football match with both sides playing excellent defense, Republicans and Democrats are struggling to make any headway in terms of the budget.

1) Why do you think we are seeing such an impasse, not just at the federal level but also in states such as California?

2) What tactics has Gerry Brown used to try and deal with California's current budget woes?

3) What kinds of tools do governors have at their disposal in dealing with disputes such as these?

----

Last Friday at the hall went great. No tornadoes or lock-downs coupled with a beautiful day made me happy to go spend an afternoon behind a bunch of concrete and steel sally-ports.

I am also talking with some members of my board, and it looks like I may get some guest speakers from Apple to come in and speak with the youth. One of them is an original creator of iTunes, and it would definitely be a cool experience for these kids.

In terms of my the governor's interaction with my CP, it is an indirect one. He can allocate additional resources (or take them away) from state corrections as a whole, which shoulders or places burden on the various county correctional systems accross the state. Also, if he were to go all "Scott Walker" on us, he could deal a blow to union rights which would deeply affect my CP and its employees. He has the authority to make an impact on my CP in these ways, or through the introduction of tough-on-crime legislation (or presumably soft-on-crime legislation, though it hasn't happened yet).

the governor?!

1. What made the change from the governors being elected by the legislature rather than the voters?

2. Why do some governors go against what they know is wrong for example when it come to laws?

3. why is there so many different ways to veto a bill for a governor?

To what extent does the Governor interact with your CP?

the Governor doesn't really interact personally with my CP, but since its a part of City and County of San Francisco he interacts with them. but not Rec and Park exactly.

Does he have the authority to make an impact on your CP's operations?

yes the governor have and impact on my CP which is sad since he doesn't actually interact with it personally

It's going change..because it has to.

A few months ago I started to think that I'm one of those weird people who thinks way too much about everything. My friends were telling me that there is absolutely no reason to think so much.

I've just realized that there is no such thing as thinking too much. There is no such thing as an overachiever. There are achievers and underachievers. I've always marveled at people who don't have the things that make most people happy, but are some of the happiest and most intelligent people I've ever met. I've realized that they've attached their person to a truth and lived in and through that truth

Quite elementary, yes.

Truths exist.

Laziness is a disease. Focus is golden and priceless.

Is it true that the president and the Gang of 8 (top Democrat and Republican intelligence officials in the House and Senate) authorized military action in Libya TWO to THREE WEEKS AGO?

If not, I am never watching MSNBC again.

*Change of subject*

The governor's interaction with the Belmont Police Department is limited. Contact between the two parties occurs in extreme emergencies such as natural disasters. Contact may also ensue during state budget planning, or when there are other issues of finance that affect the police department. Further, the governor interacts with the police department when there is a new law taking effect and the police department needs clarification on the meaning of a particular clause or how to enforce the legislation.

Study questions:

1.) Page 166 lists the eight states that do not employ a lieutenant governor's office. Why would these states not see a need for the office as it automatically fills the governor's position in case he or she is not able to complete a term.

2.) Based on the characteristics of a successful governor on pages 163-43, why did Meg Whitman lose the last gubernatorial election?

3.) Why would the governor not have full firing power?