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California State University, East Bay
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THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017
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Summer 2017 Issue 8
Men’s basketball coach leaves for Nevada Pioneer updates on America's president
SEE OPINION PAGE 2
What happened? On Friday, President Donald Trump announced his backing of a proposed bill that would be “merit-based” in order to determine who is allowed to immigrate to the United States legally.
PARKING WOES CONTINUE FOR EAST BAY STUDENTS
SEE OPINION PAGE 4
STUDENTS DOCUMENT SCHOOL TRIP TO CUBA
SEE SAN QUENTIN NEWS PAGE 7
UPDATES FROM THE PRISON NEWSPAPER PHOTO BY TAM DUONG JR./THE PIONEER
Former Cal State East Bay men's basketball Head Coach Gus Argenal talks to his team during a practice in January at Pioneer Gymnasium. Argenal accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Nevada, Reno on Monday.
SEE OPINION PAGE 8
BREAKING BOUNDARIES THROUGH INTERNSHIP
#PIONEERNEWS /thepioneernewspaper @thepioneeronline @newspioneer
NCAA Division I opportunity lures men's East Bay hoops leader By Louis LaVenture EDITOR-IN-CHIEF After four seasons at the helm for the Cal State East Bay men’s basketball team, Head Coach Gus Argenal resigned to accept an assistant coach position at
the University of Nevada, Reno on Monday. Argenal finished his tenure at East Bay with a record of 35-76, including the team’s best record since joining the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference in 2009 with 13 wins last season. “I have been lucky to coach such amazing young men and work with such loyal assistant coaches,” Argenal told Eastbaypioneers.com. “I will deeply miss being part of the Pioneer community, but feel great pride in what we have built.” Argenal joins a Wolf Pack squad led by former NBA and Golden State Warriors Head Coach Eric Mussleman. Mussle-
man coached the Warriors from 2002 to 2004 and was an NBA coach from 1990 to 2012 until he began his college coaching career as an assistant at Arizona State. Last Season Nevada went 28-7, won the Mountain West Conference championship and made the NCAA Division I tournament before losing in the first round to Iowa State. According to the CSUEB Director of Athletic Communications Steve Connolly, a national search is underway with the minimum requirements being a master’s degree and three years of college coaching experience.
Illegal dumping plagues Oakland By Alex Garcia CONTRIBUTOR Illegal dumping has become a visible problem in Oakland, California. It is all too typical to pass by a pile of trash on a street corner. The city’s Public Works department eventually cleans up the area, but a few days after the cleanup, there is a new pile of trash. The city’s budget for 2016-2017 is $530 billion. Public Works gets only .5 percent of the budget. The agency that gets the most from the budget is the Oakland Police Department who get 41.1 percent. Most of the people who dump their trash in Oakland do not reside in the city, according to Ken Houston, chair of the East Oakland Beautification Council, a volunteer-driven organization established in 2014 to end illegal dumping and graffiti in Oakland. “The lack of leadership contributes to the ongoing problem of illegal dumping,” Houston said. He adopted the area of 69th Avenue to 106th Avenue along San Leandro Street in East Oakland, an area largely comprised of warehouses and residential neighborhoods. In this area, he picks up the trash that is dumped and erases the graffiti as well as patrols it for illegal dumping. Houston ran for mayor of Oakland in 2014 on the platform to fix the illegal
PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLANDNORTH.NET
An illegal dumping site in Oakland at G Street and 89th Avenue near an automobile business and a vacant lot for lease.
dumping problem, but current Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf won that election. He considers himself the son of Oakland because he was born and raised in Oakland. He knows the struggle of living in Oakland, so running for mayor was also
about fighting for those who are in poverty across the city According to Houston, illegal graffiti and dumping are connected. “If someone can tag for 15 minutes, someone else can dump in less time,” he ex-
plained. Houston keeps detailed records of each incident he encounters. His records include the location of the offense, the
SEE DUMPING PAGE 3
The US Senate bill, Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act (RAISE Act) was introduced last month by US Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Tom Cotton (R-AK). The bill outlines a series of questions for individuals seeking to immigrate to the US. The questions ask an individual's age, level of education, English competency, the salary and type of job they were offered prior to arriving in the US, investments and if they won any medals in the Olympics. Their answers are then rated on a points system, by a government department determined by the president, that requires 30 points to be considered for immigration. According to the bill, the highest points are awarded to people between the age of 26 and 30 with a doctorate, high English proficiency and a job offer with a high salary. The bill also noted that if a person received a Nobel Prize or similar award they would automatically receive 25 points. According to the bill, applicants with the highest number of points would be at the top of the list to receive visas.The bill also required an English test to determine proficiency in the language. Last week Trump said this would be something he would support, however, according to The New York Times, several unnamed Republicans and Democrats slammed the potential bill. It would have to get congress approval for it to make it to the desk of Trump, according to The White House website.. North Korea On Tuesday at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey Trump said to reporters, “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.” Since Trump took over the presidential office there have been several violent threats from North Korea. North Korea warned through their media, KCNA, on Wednesday they were looking beyond Guam and would hit the US mainland with preemptive strikes with nuclear weapons, if there are any indications the United States planned to strike North Korea first. According to The New York Times, North Korea tested weapons last week and also responded to military exercises by the United States earlier in the week. "My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....” Trump tweeted early Wednesday morning. “...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!” East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Pleasanton) told CNN yesterday, “We very much need a cool headed president and not bar stool threats."
By Louis LaVenture Editor-in-Chief
2 OPINION
THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017
THE PIONEER
Parking is bad, but it could be worse
EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Louis LaVenture louis.laventure@csueastbay.edu
MANAGING EDITOR
Kali Persall
kali.persall@csueastbay.edu
ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
Casey Peuser
casey.peuser@csueastbay.edu
SPANISH EDITOR
Daisy Ortiz daisy.ortiz@csueastbay.edu
STAFF WRITERS
Marissa Marshall marissa.marshall@csueastbay.edu
ILLUSTRATOR
Dina Arakcheyeva dina.arakcheyeva@csueastbay.edu
PHOTO EDITOR PHOTO BY TAM DUONG JR./THE PIONEER
Kedar Dutt kedar.dutt@csueastbay.edu
By Janice Domingo CONTRIBUTOR With fall quarter coming up and a new batch of freshmen coming in, the hunt for parking spots may resemble a scene out of “Game of Thrones;’” Cutthroat, suspenseful, and full of drama. Most students who drive to campus have been guilty of one of these two things at some point: attempting to show up early to find parking spots close to class or getting to school five minutes before class starts, praying to the ‘parking gods’ for any kind of vacant spot. According to Derrick Lobo, Manager of Parking & Transportation Services at Cal State East Bay, there are 4,203 parking spots open for students. However, we often end up circling the lots for around 20 minutes hoping to find one of them. Many of us pay the $130 every quarter for a parking permit. Shockingly enough, those permits are not limited to students either; faculty and staff are required to purchase passes as well if they intend to park
“With fall quarter coming up and a new batch of freshmen coming in, the hunt for parking spots may resemble a scene out of ‘Game of Thrones.’” in any of the lots, although at a discounted rate per quarter. According to Lobo, nine month faculty members pay $9.89 per month while 12 month faculty members pay $13.19 per month. One would think that if parking permits are that easily attained, parking spaces would be ample in order to accommodate students; however, it always feels like there is not enough parking. According to Lobo, parking availability boils down to something as simple as timing. From a cost perspective, Cal State East Bay actually has fairly-priced permits compared to other Bay Area college campuses. Ac-
cording to the UC Berkeley Parking and Transportation site, student parking permits cost $377 for fall and spring semesters and $308 for summer; which equates to $1,062 annually. The San Francisco State University Parking and Transportation site indicates that they only offer daily student parking permits that can either be purchased in hourly increments at $4 per hour or $7 per day. Assuming you are a full-time student attending a full day’s worth of classes five days a week, for a 16-week semester, that would equate to $560 per semester or $1,120 annually, not including summer. Only students
with campus residency can purchase semester permits. Here at East Bay it is a flat $130 per quarter or $540 per year, including summer. East Bay also offers daily permits at $2 per hour and $10 for the entire day as well as metered parking spots also at $2 per hour. Unfortunately, there are no current plans for a parking structure of any sort at East Bay, but there are plans to repair and update lots J, L and M within the next school year, according to Lobo. The overflow lot will be renovated as well. Plans include sloping of the area to avoid drainage issues that cause it to close whenever it rains, as well as the addition of gravel. These changes in particular should allow it to be open year round. Its current state forces it to be closed during the rainy season, since the unpaved dirt lot gets muddy. The plan is to have it ready by the start of the fall quarter on Sept. 20, according to Lobo. There are hits and misses with parking, and yes, it may seem like we pay a lot for parking per quarter, but it really could be a lot worse.
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FEATURES 3
THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017
THE PIONEER
Food truck scene thrives in downtown
PHOTOS BY KEDAR DUTT/THE PIONEER
The Off The Grid food truck meetups have been providing downtown Hayward attendees with a variety of eating options since 2010. According to the original organizers, it began as a way to bring together people in communities through food. What started as a once a week event in San Francisco has turned into more than 50 weekly events throughout the Bay Area.
NEWS
Dumping From Page 1 square footage of the trash or illegal graffiti, and cost of the clean up. He cleans the trash by himself or with volunteers. The cost of trash removal depend on the amount of trash, and the cost of graffiti removal depend on the square footage of the space taken up by the graffiti. If someone comes back to the same area, he will then report it to the police. He often goes on night patrol to try to stop illegal dumping. He patrols areas that he considers hot spots across East Oakland. If he sees someone illegally dumping, he reports it to the Oakland Police. “I am doing what the city is supposed to be doing,” said Houston. He said he either calls the police immediately or he takes down the license plate of the car and reports it after. In a recent meeting between MaySchaaf and city residents, the mayor said she would do the best she can to combat illegal dumping and that she will go out and clean up with Public Works crews. She also wants those who get fines to pay them. If people do not pay the fines for
illegally dumping, their car registration will be suspended. The mayor stated that the idea of suspending the car registrations, of those who are fined, came from residents themselves. The city of Oakland has a Witness Reward Program, which attempts to fight littering by rewarding residents financially if they report to police an illegally dumping incident. The financial reward is half of the amount of the citation given. For example, if the citation is $500, the reward to the person who reported the crime would be $250. The city also developed an app called SeeClickFix, which allows residents to take pictures and report it to the city. Public works will then pick up the trash from that location. Waste Management occasionally has free dumpsites across the city where residents can throw away bulky items like mattresses. Between September 2015 and September 2016, 62 citations were given, but only three residents reported illegal dumping. The other 59 citations were given by police. Illegal dumping will not stop if both the residents and the city do not work together, according to Houston. “The city administration has to be on the ground to understand this problem,” Houston said. The Oakland Police Department did not respond to the Pioneer’s attempts to arrange an interview.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLANDNORTH.NET
An illegal dumping site in Oakland earlier this year.
4 OPINION
THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017
THE PIONEER
The human spirit in a neglected Havana
PHOTO BY KALI PERSALL/THE PIONEER
PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA ARCHULETA/THE PIONEER
Left: Children and residents of Cuba look at a phone on a street corner. Right: A sotre front in Old Havana, Cuba. Cal State East Bay students visited the country last month on a study abroad trip.
By Hannah Childress CONTRIBUTOR Some might look at the city of Havana, Cuba and think that the conditions of the neglected buildings would affect the demeanor of the local residents however this is far from the truth. Cuba’s deprived economy has lead to the neglect of maintaining the iconic
buildings of Havana and over many decades has left it nearly in disrepair. As I walk down these residential streets I am intrigued by the character that these old buildings possess. Although, they would be considered an eyesore back home in America I look past the esthetics and find beauty in the stories and life that they hold. On first impression a visitor could form an assumption that the dilapidated
buildings would break down the human spirit of Havana residents. After spending sometime exploring and talking to the locals I have discovered that the buildings do not mirror the emotions of the locals. Every encounter I had with a local Cuban was greeted with a smile and curiosity of where I am from and what I think of their country. Along my walk I stopped in at a small
outdoor fruit and vegetable market called Agromercado, which is managed by a woman named Margarita. Within seconds stepping into the market Margarita greeted me and although I could only understand half of the things she was saying to me I could tell that she was just as excited for the culture exchange between the both of as I was. By the end of our exchange I learned her name, where her sister lives, how to
say the different names of the fruits and vegetables she was selling and was insisted to take two guavas with the trust that I would bring her money tomorrow for the fruit. America’s standard of living is completely different and often times based on superficial expectations and as an American visitor in Cuba it is a humbling experience to see the human spirit thrive in poverished region.
Paradise in a dark alley By Juana Davila CONTRIUBTOR
PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA ARCHULETA/THE PIONEER
A woman shops for bread at a small market in Havana, Cuba.
Friendliness of Cuban people By Stephen Freitas CONTRIUBTOR Since coming to Cuba, I have noticed the difference in how the Cuban people interact with others. In particular, in the way that they interact with strangers on the streets. My observations have brought me to the conclusion that Cuba is what we would call a “high context’ society. This is a definition for cultures that put emphasis on interactions between others. This can pertain towards getting to know someone more in depth, close contact, and relations between each other before conducting business. While being here I have come into contact with a few of the locals. Most have been very willing to start up a conversation or to give help when asked for it. I even met some locals from old Havana at the beach. We related to each other by a common interest for the same sports teams from the Bay Area. After getting to know about one another, they offered to show me the sights of old Havana from a local’s perspective. This is very different from the United States in my opinion because the U.S. is
considered a “low context” society. This term is given to cultures that are more about the business side of things and less about getting to know the other person. We as Americans are also hesitant in getting close to each other. We like our personal space and feel uncomfortable when someone enters it. I have encountered this opposition in the states many times. I have been able to observe people's body language as I attempt to interact with them. I don’t know why so many Americans are so quick to push others away in order to stay in their comfort zones. Maybe it’s just the easiest way and that’s the way most people decide to live their daily lives. This is not the way I want to live my life though. After only being in Cuba for a mere six days, my perspective of those around me has changed. I want to journey away from the “low context” and enter the “high context.” I believe that allowing others to enter our lives helps to better our own personal lives in return. By doing so we can become better people and a better society. In the end, how much harm can really come from simply saying hi to the world around us?
Old Havana is beautiful during the night; it’s like a never ending fiesta. Parents are out with their children, young couples are taking a stroll while street musicians work their magic, and others are huddled together in the wifi hotspot in front of the public library. As a foreigner, the restaurant workers will go to you, there isn’t much searching that needs to be done on your behalf. However, you do want to consider the prices because if you do the right amount of searching you’ll be able to find a good deal. This young man noticed that my classmates and I were looking for a “cheap” restaurant so he approached us and offered his help, free of charge. Despite working for another establishment he led us to a location where we would only pay 5 CUCs for a full meal and 1 or 2 CUCs for drinks as opposed
to the 12 CUCs per meal sold at his job. We were skeptical at first because he led us toward a dark alley but the phrase “never judge a book by its cover” couldn’t have been more perfect for that moment. We arrived to a student hostel, or as it’s called in Cuba, Casa de Estudiantes. The walls were covered in writing but it was for a reason. Our lovely host told us that after dinner, guests, students or not, were welcomed to leave a message on the walls. That alone stood out to me because most restaurants in the states prevent customers from writing on their walls, yet this particular place wanted their guests to leave their mark. While some of the messages were just guests’ names, a lot of previous guests took the opportunity to praise the food on the wall. Since it was late at night, only chicken and pork were available, each with a serving of arroz Moros, which is rice and beans mixed together, potato and
cucumber slices. Hostal Loretta made me feel like I was at home, from the flavors in the food to the plates we were served in; it was authentic Cuban food. The service matched the meal quality; there was only one waiter and he made sure we had everything we needed. As we were finishing our flavorful dinner another guest walked in and we casually talked about how delicious the food was. The people in charge of the restaurant gave us plenty of time to socialize before giving us the check which is something that is very common here in Cuba. People on the island actually enjoy their food as opposed to the United States where there is a sense of urgency to eat and leave. After being in Cuba for several days we were just begging for a meal that felt homemade. Who would have thought that a small building in a dark alley would be the place to find the long sought meal.
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6 ESPAÑOL
JUEVES DE AGOSTO 10, 2017
THE PIONEER
El entrenador del equipo masculino de básquetbol se va a Nevada Por Louis LaVenture EDITOR EN JEFE
Traducción por Daisy Ortiz EDITORA DE ESPANOL
Después de cuatro temporadas a cabeza del equipo de básquetbol masculino de Cal State East Bay, el entrenador Gus Argenal resignó y aceptó la posición a entrenador asistente en la Universidad de Nevada, Reno el lunes. Argenal terminó su tiempo en East Bay con un récord de 35-76, incluyendo el mejor récord del equipo desde estar en NCAA division II California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference en el 2009 con 13 victorias la temporada pasada. “He tenido la suerte de entrenar a tan gran jóvenes y trabajar con entrenadores asistentes tan leales,” Argenal le dijo a Eastbaypioneers.com. “Extrañare demaciado ser parte de la comunidad Pionera, pero me da mucho orgullo lo que hemos construido.” Argenal acompañara a Wolf Pack squad dirigido por ex entrenador de NBA y Golden State Warriors Eric Mussleman. Mussleman entrenó a los Warriors del 2002 al 2004 y fue coach de NBA de 1990 al 2012 hasta que empezó su carrera de entrenador colegial como asistente en Arizona State. La temporada pasada, Nevada estuvo a 28-7, ganó el campeonato de Mountain West Conference y llegaron al torneo de NCAA Division I antes de perder en la primera ronda contra Iowa State.
Según el director de las comunicaciones atletas de CSUEB, Steve Connolly, está en proceso una búsqueda nacional para la posición con calificaciones mínimas de tener una maestría y tres años de experiencia entrenando en colegios.
“Extrañare demaciado ser parte de la comunidad Pionera, pero me da mucho orgullo lo que hemos construido.” —Gus Argenal FOTO POR KEDAR DUTT/THE PIONEER
El ex entrenador de Cal State East Bay Gus Argenal habla con su equipo durante un juego a principio del ano.
Rastreador del Presidente Donald Trump Las actualizaciones del Pioneer sobre el Presidente
Según el diario The New York Times, Corea del Norte probó armas la semana pasada y también respondió a ejercicios militares de los Estados Unidos temprano en la semana. “Mi primer trabajo como presidente fue renovar y modernizar nuestros arsenales nucleares. Ahora está más fuerte y más poderoso que antes …” Trump retuiteó temprano el miércoles por la mañana. “... Ojalá nunca tengamos que usar ese poder pero nunca
Por Louis LaVenture EDITOR EN JEFE
Traducción por Daisy Ortiz EDITORA DE ESPANOL
habrá un momento en que no seamos la nación más poderosa del mundo!” Representante de la área este de la bahía Eric Swalwell (D-Pleasanton) le dijo a CNN ayer, “Necesitamos un presidente con la cabeza fría y no uno que amenaza. Necesitamos que el presidente hable con nuestros expertos quienes le darán opciones diplomáticas y asegurarle que aunque las opciones militares están allí, no son buenas.”
Que Paso? El viernes el Presidente Donald Trump anunció que se iba retractar de la propuesta a la ley que está basada de “méritos” para determinar quién está permitido inmigrar a los Estados Unidos legalmente. La ley del senado Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act (RAISE Act) fue introducida el mes pasado por los senadores David Perdue (R-GA) y Tom Cotton (R-AK). La ley tiene una serie de preguntas para individuales que buscan inmigrar a los E.E.U.U. Las preguntas preguntan la edad del individual, nivel académico, habilidad de hablar inglés, el salario y tipo de trabajo con le han ofrecido antes de llegar a los E.E.U.U, inversiones y si han ganado medallas en las olimpiadas. Sus respuestas son luego calificadas con un sistema de puntos por un departamento gubernamental fijado por el presidente cual requiere 30 puntos para ser considerado para inmigración. Según la ley, los más puntos son dados a las personas entre la edad de 26 y 30 con un doctorado, que hable inglés a un nivel alto y que tenga una oferta de trabajo que un alto salario. La ley también mencionó que si la persona ha recibido un premio Nobel o premio similar, automáticamente recibirá 25 puntos. Según la ley, aplicantes con el número más alto de pun-
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tos estarian hasta arriba en la lista para recibir visas. La ley también requiere un examen de inglés para determinar el conocimiento del idioma. La semana pasada Trump dijo que esto sería algo que apoyaría, sin embargo, según el diario The New York Times, varios republicanos y demócratas no nombrados rechazaron la propuesta ley. Tendría que ser aprobado por el congreso para llegar al escritorio de Trump según el sitio de web de la Casa Blanca. Corea del Norte El martes en su resort golf en Bed-
minster, New Jersey Trump le dijo a reporteros, “Más vale que Corea del Norte no haga ningunas amenazas a los Estados Unidos. Seran encontrados con fuego y furia como el mundo nunca ha visto.” Desde que Trump tomó la posición como presidente han habido varias amenazas violentas de Corea del Norte. Corea del Norte advirtió a través de sus medios, KCNA, el miércoles que estaban viendo más allá de Guam y lanzaría armas nucleares a los Estados Unidos, si hubieran indicaciones que los Estados Unidos planea golpear a Corea del Norte primero.
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SAN QUENTIN NEWS 7
THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017
THE PIONEER
Over $180 billion a year spent on mass incarceration San Quentin News stories are published courtesy of a content-sharing collaboration between The Pioneer and The San Quentin News, the prison’s official inmate-run newspaper. The collaboration began in July 2016 after faculty and staff of The Pioneer visited the journalism guild in the prison. By Charles David Henry JOURNALISM GUILD WRITER The system of mass incarceration costs the government and families at least $182 billion every year, according to a report by the Prison Policy Institute. “Our goal with this report is to give a hint as to how the criminal justice system works by identifying some of the key stakeholders and quantifying their ‘stake’ in the status quo,” reported the authors, Peter Wagner and Bernadette Rabuy. The report revealed that half of the money spent on running the correctional system goes toward paying staff. This group is an influential lobby that sometimes prevents reform and whose influence and jobs are often protected even when prison populations drop. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT - Private prison companies act as extensions of the public system. The government payroll for corrections employees is more than 100 times higher than the private prison industry’s profits. - The U.S. Constitution requires counsel to be appointed for defendants unable to afford legal representation, but the system only spends $4.5 billion funding this right. Over the last decade, states have been reducing this figure even as caseloads have grown. - Private companies that supply goods to the prison commissary or provide telephone service for correctional facilities reap profits ($2.9 billion) — almost as much as governments pay private companies ($3.9 billion) to operate private prisons. - Feeding and providing health care for 2.3 million incarcerated people — representing a population larger than that of 15 different states — is expensive. Below are some lesser-known players in the system of mass incarceration: - Bail bond companies collect $1.4 billion in nonrefundable fees from defendants and their families. The industry actively works to block reforms that threaten its profits even if reforms could prevent people from being detained in jail because of their poverty. - Specialized phone companies monopolize contracts and charge families up to $24.95 for a
PHOTO BY TAM DUONG JR./THE PIONEER
Two inmates talk on the tier outside of their cells at San Quentin State Prison last year during a trip to the facility by this publication.
15-minute phone call. - Commissary vendors sell goods to incarcerated people who rely largely on money sent by family and friends, but some from in-prison jobs. This industry brings in $1.6 billion a year. The report shows the criminal justice fines and fees can be substantial. In at least 38 towns and cities in the U.S., more than 10 percent of all public revenue is court fines and fees. In St. Louis County,
five towns generated more than 40 percent of their annual revenue from court fines and fees in 2013. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports the combined total of federal, state and local expenditures on the judicial and legal system was $57.9 billion in 2012. Since these figures include both criminal and civil law aspects of the court system, reporters estimated that 50 percent of court expenditures were criminal law related.
After further investigation, the report adjusted this figure to $29 billion. With emphasis on the disparate impact on women and the poor, the report illustrates the extreme financial burden and emotional strain caused by incarceration: families, not defendants, typically pay for court-related costs, phone calls and visitation, and continue to support people upon their release, the report comments.
Prisons testing new drug to President’s deportation policy could increase prison population combat opioid addictions By Salvador Solorio JOURNALISM GUILD WRITER America’s prison population is likely to rise for the first time in nearly a decade if President Donald Trump keeps his promise to detain and deport millions of immigrants, The Associated Press reports. Such a policy would benefit private for-profit prison companies, the story added. After Trump commented on immigration policies, their stock prices jumped, according to a Nov. 23 AP report. Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), re-branded as CoreCivic Co. (CCC), saw the biggest percentage gain on the New York Stock Exchange at 43 percent. Geo Group’s stock prices soared 21 percent. Meanwhile, the Obama administration announced in August it would phase out private prison use, but this policy change did not affect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “I do think we can do a lot of privatizations and private prisons,” Trump told MSNBC in March. “It seems to work a lot better.” He did not offer any details on what that might mean for the federal system. “Trump was saying during his 100-day plan that mandatory minimums for people re-entering the country would be set at two years – that’s going to require a longer-term need for beds,” said Michael Kodesch, a senior associate at
Canaccord Genuity, Inc. Kodesch also stated immigration detention centers are particularly profitable because they command a higher rate for each inmate bed. ICE holds up to 34,000 immigrants awaiting deportation with about 73 percent held in private facilities. When asked for comment, CCC spokesman Jonathan Burns said the company doesn’t take positions on proposals or legislation that determines an individual’s incarceration. Instead, the company aims to “educate lawmakers on the benefits of public-private partnership generally and the solutions CoreCivic provides.” A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review panel concluded immigration authorities should continue to use for-profit prisons despite safety complaints, poor conditions and inadequate medical care, reported the Los Angeles Times. The DHS panel determined cost to detain immigrants currently in private and public facilities is $3 billion, whereas using government-run prisons solely would cost up to $6 billion. Marshall Fitz, a member of the Center for American Progress, who helped draft the DHS report, wrote a dissent saying evidence “points directly toward the inferiority of the private prison model.” Although the report passed the advisory council, 17 of 23 members signed on to Fitz’s dissent.
By David Eugene Archer Sr. JOURNALISM GUILD WRITER Some U.S. prisons are testing a monthly injection that could help addicted prisoners stay off opioids, reported The Associated Press. The drug named Vivitrol is injected in the buttocks and lasts for four weeks, the story said. Each shot costs as much as $1,000, the Nov. 20 AP story noted. Experts do not agree on how well it works, but it eliminates daily doses of an alternative like methadone, according to the AP. Advocates of Vivitrol in Illinois say it could save money when compared to $25,000 a year to lock up a drug addict. “It sounds good, and for some of us, it feels like the right thing to do,” said Dr. Joshua Lee, a Vivitrol researcher. The opioid epidemic affects more than 2 million Americans and an estimated 15 percent of the U.S. prison population. Many experts see prisons as a natural place to discover what works, reported the AP. Christopher Wolf is a heroin addict who was ordered by a judge into treatment using Vivitrol. Three months later, he is clean and said, “I don’t have cravings. I see how much better life is. It gets better really fast.” Vivitrol targets receptors in the brain’s reward system, blocking the high and extinguishing urges, according to the AP. “The fact of the matter is the people involved in
this were promoted ...” Researchers have recognized addiction as a relapsing brain disease with medication an important part of therapy, reported the story. Joshua Meador, 28, an inmate in Illinois, said, “When I’m on Vivitrol, I can’t get high.” The drug has no street value or abuse potential, the story stated. Dr. Joseph Garbely of Pennsylvania-based Caron Treatment Centers prefers Vivitrol for patients. He said that counseling, support groups and treatment for problems like depression are crucial for them. “The disease of addiction is a cunning, baffling and powerful one, and you need all hands on deck,” Garbely said. David Farabee of the University of California at Los Angeles said, “You couldn’t design something better for the criminal justice system.” He leads a Vivitrol study in a New Mexico jail. “There’s been pushback with other medications, people saying, ‘We’re just changing one drug for another.’ That argument goes out the window when you’re talking about a blocker” like Vivitrol. A National Institute on Drug Abuse study of about 300 prisoners – most heroin users on probation or parole – received Vivitrol or brief counseling and referral to a treatment program. After six months, the Vivitrol group had a lower rate of relapse, 43 percent compared to 64 percent. However, when the injections stopped, many relapsed. A year later, relapse rates looked the same in both groups. “It does suggest six months wasn’t enough,” said Lee, the lead author.
8 OPINION
THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017
THE PIONEER
My internship with the Los Angeles Sparks Breaking boundaries more than just a basketball mantra By Marissa Marshall STAFF WRITER
Nine weeks into my internship with the Los Angeles Sparks and time is flying. It feels like just the other day, I walked in not knowing what I would get out of my time with the Women’s National Basketball Association Team. Looking back, I am thankful to have this opportunity--it opened my eyes in ways I couldn’t have possibly imagined. What the Sparks are doing for women’s basketball and sports in general is nothing short of amazing. They are ‘breaking boundaries,’ which also happens to be a mantra the Sparks use as one of their team mottos. It means breaking the boundary of doubt; women can meet the same expectations that men meet and more. It’s an ongoing debate that women will never receive the same attention and credibility as their male counterparts in all aspects of life, not just sports. But the Sparks are shifting the culture everyday, not only through the players, but through the entire organization. Their efforts on the court are clear, the team has a competitive edge, resiliency, and is successful statistically. Off the court they are just as committed; whether this means signing autographs after games, interacting with supporters and making sure the fans get to know them. This helps maintain a following and attracts people to the games and the team. The Sparks are also ahead of the game when it comes to hiring practices. As a Black woman, I rarely see women of color in positions of power. The Sparks culture changed that entire perception for me. I walk in everyday and am surrounded by women of color who hold prestigious positions within the organization. The President of the Sparks, Christine Simmons, the senior vice president, the director of game operations, the executive vice president and the general manager are all women of color. This has inspired me to take advantage of my opportunities, because I can now visualize myself in their shoes; I can be a woman of color in charge. Being here makes me look at myself and wonder what more can I do. How can I take charge when I return to East Bay for fall quarter heading into my junior year, in a way that can help extend this idea of breaking boundaries? How can I help women of color, just like me, chase their goals and expose them to the possibilities out there? How can I enhance the support of women’s athletics on East Bay’s Campus? My internship isn’t just teaching me the ropes of game operations with a basketball team, it’s motivating me to maximize my opportunity. It’s teaching me to not only go after what I want in life, but to also be a role model to others, just like the way the women I look up to are doing for me. It’s teaching me to be better than I was yesterday, to erase fear. To break boundaries.
ILLUSTRATION BY DINA ARAKCHEYEVA/THE PIONEER
“As a Black woman, it's been rare I've seen women of color in positions of power. The Sparks changed that enitre perception for me. I walk in everyday and am surrounded by women of color who hold prestigious positions within the organization.”