Weekend Events Focus on Prison Reform

Readers of Gary Cohn’s coverage of Proposition 47 and Donald Cohen’s report on the privatizing of America’s jails and prisons will be interested in two events held in sequence this weekend.

• Off the Cuff is a “criminal justice community teach-in and roundtable.” Its panel discussions will drill down into such topics as Civilian Oversight, Immigrant Detention, Mental Health Diversion and Youth and Incarceration. A debate forum, moderated by KPCC’s Frank Stoltze. has been offered to the L.A. County Sheriff candidates appearing on November’s runoff ballot. (A partial list of sponsors includes: American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Asian American Journalists Association L.A. Chapter, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Common Cause, L.A. Business Federation and LA Progressive.)

Saturday, October 25, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. East Los Angeles College, 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park. RSVP here

• Turning the Page: A  Community Rally for Criminal Justice Reform, presented by Justice Not Jails, consists of two panels and a workshop. The first panel, which features Congress members Karen Bass and Tony Cardenas, looks at national efforts to reform the criminal justice system. A second panel deals with California reform efforts and includes Assembly members Isadore Hall III, Reggie Jones-Sawyer Sr. and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer. The panels are followed by a workshop about promoting and turning out voters for Proposition 47.

Saturday, October 25, 2-4:30 p.m.; Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles. RSVP Here