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| California Senate approves greater media access to inmates |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 06/06/2005 |
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The California Senate last Tuesday approved legislation making it easier for reporters to interview prison inmates after the bill was amended to appease a victims' rights group. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar measure last year, following the lead of his predecessors. Former Gov. Pete Wilson restricted media access because he feared the attention would turn criminals into celebrities. The bill by Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, approved on a 26-12 vote, would override Department of Corrections' limits on news media interviews. Those limits have been in place since 1996, after 20 years in which reporters had special access to inmates. The bill would permit interviews using television cameras and audio recording equipment. It also would let inmates correspond confidentially with reporters unless it presented a security problem. "Civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado," said Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Northridge. Media investigations have unearthed several problems within the state's deeply troubled prison system, McClintock noted. He said the problems might have been uncovered earlier if reporters had better contacts with inmates. The bill, SB239, was amended to address objections from Crime Victims United of California. The group wants victims and victims' family members to be notified in advance when a media interview has been scheduled with a criminal convicted in their case. Victims or their families would first have to request that they want such notification. The California Newspaper Publishers Association and California Broadcasters Association support the measure, along with public defenders and the American Civil Liberties Union. The bill now goes to the Assembly, which is considering a similar measure. |
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