For my little wiki project I chose to edit an article on Proposition 36, which sends non-violent drug offenders to treatment programs instead of jail.
I became interested in Prop 36 when I was working for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. I was assigned to cover an arraignment and had to spend all day in court. While I was sitting there I struck up a conversation with this little old lady. She told me she was there to get her daughter who was set to be released into a drug program. The lady had a big glowing smile on her face when she mentioned her daughter's release. It kind of amazed me because most parents seem to roll their eyes when they talk about their children's problems. But this woman was overjoyed.
After a few more cases, the bailiff led the daughter into the courtroom. She was about my age (25 at the time), frail and frightened. She looked out of place in her county jail uniform, like somebody ambushed her and forced the clothing onto her body. The judge ordered the girl released and into the Prop 36 program. The girl could not stop shaking and the judge asked "are you okay?" The girl gazed downward with a faked half-smile and replied "yeah, I'm just scared."
The girl and her mother provided a human face to a voter-approved initiative. I haven't forgotten that day in court or Prop 36. Recently an article came out in my local paper about the debate surrounding the law and I decided to research it further.
For the editing process, I used two sources, the Prop 36 Web site, http://www.prop36.org/, and the Ventura County Star, http://www.venturacountystar.com/.
The wikipedia article on Prop 36 had only basic information on the law. I added some context about the debate and the current changes that the governor is trying to made.
My entry is dated: 20:28 4 March 2007 75.82.71.103
the date before me is: 10:58 25 August 2006 24.126.199.129
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