In Defense of Oakland's Probationer Curfew
The murder rate in Oakland has fallen dramatically -- with no help from the folks at Critical Resistance. These zealots can’t accept the fact that strategic police work is saving lives in our city.
Oakland has adopted dynamic measures to stem violence and save lives. The curfew, which targets hardcore criminals who operate at night, is one of many programs to combat crime in the city’s hotspots.
The most glaring non-fact in Critical Resistance’s screed is the statement that probationers in are “sent back to prison for being out after 10 p.m.” In truth, curfew violators will receive an “intermediate sanction” of jail time. A week in jail is not comparable to a year in prison, and one more felon on a curfew is one less person behind bars. Critical Resistance wants to abolish prisons, so this alternative to incarceration should be applauded.
The assertion that 80 percent of parolees are homeless is as baseless as the claim that Oakland does nothing for probationers. In fact, Oakland is home to some of the most progressive probationer/parolee rehabilitation programs in the nation. Unique among cities, Oakland sends staff into state prison to help inmates train and prepare for life on the outside.
I invite Critical Resistance to step back from the ideological edge and assist us in turning lives around. Men and women leaving prison need lots of help, and activist energy could be creatively engaged.
February 15, 2005 | Permalink
Comments
Welcome to the blogosphere. You're establishing just the sort of dialog that elected officials should attempt to establish. Good luck.
Posted by: mark | Feb 16, 2005 6:41:51 PM
Welcome to the world of blogs.
And congrats on the murder rate.
Posted by: tony | Feb 16, 2005 7:03:03 PM
Don't worry, Mr. Brown. My blog looked awful the first day of launching too.
Anyway, it's the substance not the glitz which counts, right? Right.
Cheers,
Victoria
Posted by: Victoria | Feb 16, 2005 7:14:37 PM
welcome sir!
Posted by: jason | Feb 16, 2005 7:32:05 PM
Welcome, Mayor Brown. I'm a great admirer of yours though I was too young to remember your governorship.
I loved your outsider campaign for president, and I hear you're doing great things in Oakland.
I hope your blog lives up to my expectations!
Regards,
W.C. Varones
Posted by: W.C. Varones | Feb 16, 2005 7:37:50 PM
Mayor Jerry,
As a proud citizen of Oakland, welcome to the blogosphere. I have linked you to my homepage and hope you'll share your thoughts with your constituents, and everyone else.
Keep the heat on!
Posted by: jmrogers | Feb 16, 2005 7:45:51 PM
As someone who now spends 2 hours on So. Cal freeways commuting to work every day, I'd like to thank Mr. Brown for stopping construction of the freeways that would have made this city livable.
At least Al Davis is your problem now.
Posted by: Richard R | Feb 16, 2005 7:56:39 PM
I'm a foaming-at-the-mouth Republican, but as an East Bay native and resident, you are the best thing that's happened to Oakland in my lifetime. I'll be supporting you for AG, too.
Posted by: Andrew | Feb 16, 2005 8:01:47 PM
Mayor Brown, congratulations on your new blog. I knew your father (we had more than a few discussions about the death penalty) and have followed your career and Kathleen's with great interest. Good luck and keep blogging!
Posted by: Gary Goldhammer | Feb 16, 2005 8:27:47 PM
If your blog is anything like your interview on Fox news, it should be a delight.
Putting in my favorites!
Posted by: tallan | Feb 16, 2005 8:33:44 PM
Well then, fame I see has yet another benefit. You, sir, have been granted an Instalanche on your very first day of blogging via Instapundit. Somewhere here is a good parallel about how the rich keep getting richer, etc etc.
Welcome and good luck.
Posted by: Richard Ames | Feb 16, 2005 8:37:06 PM
Good Luck Jerry!
Looking forward to many a spirited discussion!
Time to start rebuilding California.... wouldn't you say?
Flap
Posted by: Flap | Feb 16, 2005 8:38:41 PM
Make this blog "real" and people will read it. Keep on sounding like a press release and it (soon) will be ignored.
Posted by: Nora | Feb 16, 2005 8:39:52 PM
It will be interesting to see how a politician handles this medium where all your critics are just as visible as you are. I predict either unprecedented enforced honesty, or you'll get bored with this before the election and it won't matter.
(full disclosure: cynical Texas conservative)
Posted by: roy | Feb 16, 2005 8:44:12 PM
Dear Mayor Brown,
This is terrific! Welcome to the blogosphere.
Back in September I blogged your hat in the ring for the 2006 AG race on BOPnews (The Blogging of the President 2004) http://www.bopnews.com/archives/001607.html#1607 And today I note your arrival among us. http://www.bopnews.com/archives/002863.html#2863
I'm really looking forward to making this a regular stop on my daily reading tour. And to doing whatever I can for you in 2006, as the date of the campaign draws closer.
Sincerely,
Ellen Dana Nagler
35th AD delegate to the CDP and alternate e-Board Rep
former chair, Santa Barbara for Wesley Clark
nagler@thenewpolitics.com
Posted by: Ellen Dana Nagler | Feb 16, 2005 8:44:53 PM
Good Luck Mr Brown, and an instalanche on your first day too!
Nice to see more folks of your stature running towards as opposed to away from the blogosphere..
Posted by: Tman | Feb 16, 2005 8:46:06 PM
Why are you wasting time with a blog when you have a city falling apart around you? I sold my house in Oakland last year to escape your horrid administration and every day I wake up happy, knowing that I'm no longer paying property tax in Oakland. I voted for you but after what you've done to Oakland, I'd sooner give up my right to vote than vote for you again. You've destroyed Oakland and you should retire from politics as a public service.
Posted by: Ich Hasse Oakland | Feb 16, 2005 9:07:54 PM
I thought you were a moonbat as governor, and I was a pre-teen/teenager back then! But what you're doing in Oakland--especially with the Oakland Military Institute--I'm becoming a big supporter of yours. This post shows yet another reason why your stock is high in my book.
Full Disclosure: I'm a Republican, a West Point graduate, and currently teach high school in Sacramento.
Posted by: Darren | Feb 16, 2005 9:15:05 PM
I remember back when Jerry Brown's blog enabled comments. We were so innocent then.
But, then again, in an alternate universe, this could become a Atrios-esque hate-spewing echo chamber.
Developing . . .
Posted by: ss | Feb 16, 2005 9:17:20 PM
Linked from instapundit....
It is interesting to see that you consider fighting crime a "progressive" endeavor. I thought only conservatives fight crime. There must be some "root causes" we are missing. Do you really want to "punish" criminals??
I have taught in inner city schools for 27 years and am disgusted with the way the Democratic Party has surrendered our children to murderers.
Flap, from the sound of "Hasse Oakland", maybe Jerry is still tearing down California. We have to remember, Gray Davis is part of Jerry's Legacy.
Posted by: JoeS | Feb 16, 2005 9:20:04 PM
Wow, I thought you were a nut and off the map. After reading these comments, I think I will erase that part of my brain and reevaluate.
Posted by: Jeff Hartley | Feb 16, 2005 9:28:56 PM
Welcome to the Blogosphere, Mayor Brown.
Just as a note, I did a wee bit of volunteer work on your campaign back in '92 in your race for the primary.
However, I've gone on to become quite a conservative since those days, but I've never stopped admiring your honesty.
Come to the dark side, Mayor...
Posted by: Sean | Feb 16, 2005 9:31:47 PM
Oh dear. Please don't turn into a "new Democrat" on us. Sure, Critical Resistance gets a little extreme, but they have a serious and heartfelt and rational position against incarceration. It seems counterproductive to start your first blog post with a harsh attack on them.
Posted by: Paul Gowder | Feb 16, 2005 9:34:26 PM
Welcome to the blogosphere, Mayor Brown.
Is the city of Oakland taking steps to ensure that the Oakland Athletics stay in Oakland?
Posted by: Bhaskar Sinha | Feb 16, 2005 9:41:29 PM
Namaste! Welcome to blogtopia!
I look forward to visiting again and again....
Posted by: jillian | Feb 16, 2005 10:03:18 PM
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