Proposition 36 Update; Mexican American Reparations; Recall Legal Issues; FilmWeek
Proposition 36 Update
It's been two years since Proposition 36 went into effect. The initiative, which was passed overwhelmingly by California voters, gives drug offenders the option of drug treatment rather than jail time. Larry Mantle talks with the State's Deputy Director of the Office of Criminal Justice Planning, Del Sayles-Owen, about how the program is fairing. He also speaks to UCLA Behavioral Scientist Doug Longshore, who has just release a large study profiling Prop. 36 offenders. * Prop. 36 went into effect on July 1, 2001. It was passed by California voters in November of 2000.
Mexican American Reparations
More than 1 million people of Mexican descent were deported to Mexico during the 1930s. Now legal advocates are launching a class-action lawsuit against the state of California, the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Area Chamber hoping to win apologies and reparations for those forced to emigrate. Larry Mantle talks with State Senator Joseph Dunn who is preparing legislation that would extend the statute of limitations for deportation victims who wish to file claims for damages, commission a state study, and request a national study of the issue. Also joining Larry is Cal State L.A. Professor Francisco Balderrama who co-authored the book Decade of Betrayal detailing the civil rights violations experienced by people of Mexican descent in the 1930s. His researched helped spur the current lawsuit.
Recall Legal Issues
On October 7, California voters will make history in an election deciding whether or not to recall Governor Gray Davis. California's recall statutes are untested and already three recall-related lawsuits have been filed. Election law expert Richard L. Hasen of Loyola Law School joins Larry Mantle to help explain some of the more confusing legal details surrounding the recall vote.
FilmWeek
Larry Mantle and critics Lael Lowenstein of Variety and Peter Rainer of New York Magazine discuss this week's new film releases, including Seabiscuit, Buffalo Soldiers, Camp, Mondays in the Sun, Masked and Anonymous, Hotel, and Lucia, Lucia.
New Videos and the Seattle Film Festival were also discussed.