No surprise: Crime way down while campus closed

Share: After a year of remote learning, it is important for students to be mindful of their own safety, as well as the safety of others upon returning to campus. PCC’s 2021 Annual Campus Safety Report was released last week and details what types of crimes were reported on-campus, as well as what to do in case of a natural or man-made emergency. According to the document, crime rates at PCC have been low in 2020 compared to previous years. However, it is important to …

Doing the crime but not the time

Share: Imagine a world where crimes like child abuse and armed robbery are like a simple slap on the wrist. With Proposition 47 now a state law, that is California’s new reality. Titled “Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. Initiative Statute.,” Proposition 47 reduces the penalty for certain crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. It was enacted in hopes of increasing public safety as resources tied to minor misconducts would be freed up, allowing more resources to be allocated towards more dangerous crimes as well as to cut …

Mass shooters must be identified

Share: To name or not to name—this is the dilemma that has sent people into a frenzy in the days since the cold-blooded mass shooting at Umpqua Community College on Oct. 1. Since the crime’s lead investigator John Hanlin publicly announced his refusal to speak of the gunman’s name and urged the media to do the same, the thin fabric that is the media-audience relationship has not been the same. “Let me be very clear: I will not name the shooter,” Hanlin announced at a …