CSU, Chico News

A panel discussion on “Crime and Punishment: Gangs and Juvenile Justice in California” is one of several events related to the upcoming visit of Mark Salzman, author of “True Notebooks,” this year’s Book in Common. The discussion will be held 4-5:30 pm, Tuesday, Oct. 4, in Bell Memorial Union 210, California State University, Chico.

Matthew Thomas, Department of Political Science, will moderate the panel. Thomas’s expertise is in the field of criminal justice. Other panelists include Eric Reichel, University Police; Andy Dick, Department of Sociology; Rick Rudell, Department of Political Science; and Karen Young, Butte County Probation.

Each of the panelists will discuss issues of gangs and juvenile justice, ranging from the local perspective to national-level concerns. Young will discuss the challenges she faces in dealing with both juvenile and adult gang members in Butte County. Reichel will provide insights about gangs from his law enforcement experience. Ruddell will present gang-related findings from both a statewide survey of California Juvenile Halls and from a national survey of local jails. Dick will relate some of the social factors that contribute to the creation and maintenance of gangs. He will relate his experiences working with gang members to “True Notebooks.”

A question-and-answer session will follow the panel presentations.

Salzman will give a public lecture on Tuesday, Oct. 11 in Laxson Auditorium, 7:30 pm. “True Notebooks” is Salzman’s account of his experiences as a writing teacher in a maximum-security prison for juvenile offenders. It is the story of the transformation among the inmates in the class, as well as Salzman’s own. Although tickets to Salzman’s lecture are free, tickets are required and are available at the University Box Office, 530-898-6333.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2005 at 8:30 am and is filed under 2005 Fall.