Election Roundtable: Unraveling the Nov. Ballot
With Election Day less than two weeks away, we convene a panel of journalists to help unravel, decipher and sort through what's at stake on the November ballot. Our team of reporters covering the election includes Sacramento Bureau Chief Scott Detrow; California Politics and Government Editor John Myers; Health Reporter April Dembosky and News Fix blogger Dan Brekke.
Brown's Transformation of California Prisons Largely Unnoticed in Gubernatorial Race
The state's approach to criminal justice has gone in a new direction under Gov. Jerry Brown, driven in part by a court order to improve inmate health care and reduce the state's prison population. The problem dates back to 1990 and a lawsuit over the quality of mental health care for inmates. Underlying it all: too many prisoners and too few cells. In 2011, the Legislature passed the most fundamental reform of California's criminal justice system in more than a generation. It was called "realignment," and it transferred responsibility for tens of thousands of low-level criminals from state prisons to county jails and probation officers. How has realignment worked so far, and how hasn't it?
San Diego Congressional Race a Dead Heat
The race for San Diego's 52nd Congressional District is attracting national attention and lots of money. That's because it's one of the few House races that seems like a real toss-up. We find out more on the two men battling it out for the seat.
At San Francisco State, Class Uses Local Issues as Political Science Lab
It wouldn't be a stretch to say that no one has more at stake in this election than voters under the age of 25. After all, they and their kids are the ones who will be around long enough to deal with the long-term impacts of decisions made now on the environment, health care and the economy. Still, younger Americans are typically the least likely to vote. We visit a class at San Francisco State University where students are getting hooked on the power of local politics.