(Snippets from the frontline)
Jury Duty
Some people think not registering to vote will keep them off jury duty.
Not so in California as potential jury lists come not just from the Department of Motor Vehicles, but also if you buy a house, file taxes, or get a state-issued ID.
I’ve been called to jury duty seven times, served 3 times, and once was foreman. It has been a rewarding experience. What convinced me of the importance to serve is knowledge some prisoners had been wrongly convicted by a jury when DNA evidence later exonerated them.
Despite the fact our country has 5% of the world population, we house 25% of the world prison population. Most are people of color, many for minor drug-law infractions who had poor legal representation.
The “war on crime” policies over the past few years with corporate prison “privatization” increased inmate numbers, while those with mental illness were mixed in with hardcore criminals. Worse, in-prison rehabilitation is nil, so recidivism is high.
Serve on a jury. You might make a difference.
Ditto for voting.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
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