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Attorney General Eric Holder called for scaling back the use of harsh prison sentences for certain drug-related crimes and diversion of low-level offenders to drug treatment and community service.
A group of activists blocked the front entrance to the state building in downtown Oakland Monday morning in support of California prisoners who are participating in a hunger strike over the issue of solitary confinement.
California's prisons chief says inmates who are refusing meals to protest the state's solitary confinement program for gang leaders are harming their own cause.
Corrections officials say more than 30,000 of California's nearly 133,000 inmates have refused at least one meal as part of a protest over inmates held in solitary confinement at Pelican Bay State Prison.
A long-running plan to rebuild the jails above San Francisco's Hall of Justice received criticism from activists who showed up at a meeting on Monday to review Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's proposal and said that no jail should be built.
Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday he will ask the courts to stay what he calls an "unprecedented order" to release nearly 10,000 prison inmates by year's end.
A man was sentenced Friday to 91 years to life in state prison for fatally shooting another man in Oakland who he claimed had been stalking his sister.
The inmate population at the Solano County jail has jumped by almost 250 since 2011 due to non-violent convicts being transferred under new state regulations.
George Jurand has worked for the San Francisco Sheriff's Office for two decades, long enough to learn that the victims of violent crime need support beyond the first months, the first year, even the first several years after losing a loved one. That's why he leads a support group called The Healing Circle.
While under federal court oversight, California's prison mental health system has been spending far more on anti-psychotic drugs than other states with large prison systems.
Valley fever is spreading so quickly through two Central California prisons that a medical expert is recommending the state act quickly to stem the outbreak or shut the institutions down.
A Contra Costa County Jail inmate who escaped from the Marsh Creek Detention Facility earlier Monday has been captured, according to the sheriff's office.
A new report shows Gov. Jerry Brown let stand 80 percent of a state board's decisions to parole murderers from California prisons.
After serving several decades in prison for murder, Tower of Power singer Rick Stevens was greeted with applause as he took the stage in San Francisco. Joe Vazquez reports…
A federal overseer says it's too soon for California to retake control of its prison mental health system, dealing a blow to a proposal made by Gov. Jerry Brown last week.
The National Park Service has restored graffiti on Alcatraz that was painted during the island's occupation by Native Americans in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
A California man has been given four to six years in a Nebraska prison for conspiring to sell marijuana.
The disgraced former police officer in Pleasant Hill's sensational "Dirty DUIs" and stolen drugs scandal has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
According to a report from non-profit watchdog California Common Sense, the state now spends more on prisons than universities.
Contra Costa County has received a $750,000 federal grant to help paroled low-level offenders successfully re-enter the community and avoid returning to jail or prison.
California's budget-saving prison realignment program could end up costing the state a third of its firefighting crews if a deal can't be reached to keep inmates on the fire lines.
Join Brian Hackney as he takes you inside Alcatraz for a one of a kind look at its history. He talks with former guards, inmates and residents about life on "The Rock" as well as the famous 1962 escape.
For 20th century crime buffs, few capers match the intrigue and ingenuity of the "Escape from Alcatraz," the 1962 prison break three inmates pulled off.
The former CEO of a Fremont technology firm has been sentenced to 21 years in federal prison in a multimillion-dollar stock fraud scheme.
An Oakland man was sentenced to 300 months in prison on Friday after he was convicted of producing and possessing child pornography, according to prosecutors.
Complaints about illegal dumping on an East Oakland street have apparently fallen on deaf ears at City Hall, despite a dedicated hotline set up to report such activity.
Amid a heat wave and increased fire danger, Oakland is getting back some critical protection it hasn't had in years with the reopening of three fire stations, including two that serve the Oakland Hills.
The United States Department of Justice said an Oakland man will serve nearly 20 years for a firebombing in Berkeley and an attempted firebombing at an Oakland federal building.
Four suspects aged 12 to 15 years old were arrested in Pleasanton after they fled into a residential neighborhood following a robbery, authorities said.
Betty Reid Soskin rang in her 104th birthday on Monday with a symphony of cheers from students lining the courtyard at Betty Reid Soskin Middle School in El Sobrante.
Complaints about illegal dumping on an East Oakland street have apparently fallen on deaf ears at City Hall, despite a dedicated hotline set up to report such activity.
Amid a heat wave and increased fire danger, Oakland is getting back some critical protection it hasn't had in years with the reopening of three fire stations, including two that serve the Oakland Hills.
The United States Department of Justice said an Oakland man will serve nearly 20 years for a firebombing in Berkeley and an attempted firebombing at an Oakland federal building.
Four suspects aged 12 to 15 years old were arrested in Pleasanton after they fled into a residential neighborhood following a robbery, authorities said.
Betty Reid Soskin rang in her 104th birthday on Monday with a symphony of cheers from students lining the courtyard at Betty Reid Soskin Middle School in El Sobrante.
The driver of a Tesla is being charged in connection with multiple hit-and-run crashes in San Francisco in January that left one person dead and several others injured, the district attorney said Monday.
Police in San Francisco made multiple arrests and seized dirt bikes and an ATV in connection with a crackdown on illegal stunt driving over the weekend.
Agents with California Department of Fish and Wildlife said they busted a group of more than 40 people suspected of illegally taking Dungeness crabs off the coast near San Francisco over the Labor Day holiday weekend, issuing 15 citations.
As the Trump administration imposes a new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, many tech leaders in the Bay Area say the policy could deal a serious blow to innovation and economic competitiveness in Silicon Valley and beyond.
On a quiet San Francisco street, a plain white billboard seemed to appear out of nowhere. No logo, no tagline, just five strings of numbers. Was it an ad? An art project? Or something else entirely?
Complaints about illegal dumping on an East Oakland street have apparently fallen on deaf ears at City Hall, despite a dedicated hotline set up to report such activity.
Amid a heat wave and increased fire danger, Oakland is getting back some critical protection it hasn't had in years with the reopening of three fire stations, including two that serve the Oakland Hills.
The United States Department of Justice said an Oakland man will serve nearly 20 years for a firebombing in Berkeley and an attempted firebombing at an Oakland federal building.
Four suspects aged 12 to 15 years old were arrested in Pleasanton after they fled into a residential neighborhood following a robbery, authorities said.
Betty Reid Soskin rang in her 104th birthday on Monday with a symphony of cheers from students lining the courtyard at Betty Reid Soskin Middle School in El Sobrante.
Firefighters extinguished a burning power pole in a San Jose neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon that threatened neighboring homes, authorities said.
California's Santa Cruz County announced that sales on filtered cigarettes will be banned in 2027, which officials say is the first ban of its kind.
A 16-year-old boy was identified as the driver killed in a collision in Santa Clara over the weekend, authorities said.
Two teens believed to be gang members were arrested by San Jose police in connection with a string of vandalism incidents throughout the city, including community parks.
Three young men were arrested following separate armed robberies in San Jose that included one person getting pistol-whipped, police said.
A man who recently served a prison sentence for attempted murder has been arrested in connection with a carjacking in Vallejo, police said.
When transit officials were looking to sell the idea of the SMART train, they promised a bicycle and pedestrian pathway running alongside the rails. They're still working to fulfill that promise, but now it looks like SMART may not actually own the land they built it on.
A woman was arrested in Petaluma Wednesday night after allegedly driving under the influence, hitting a vehicle, and becoming violent with officers who tried to arrest her, police said.
Officials in the city of Benicia urged all residents, businesses, schools and other facilities to significantly curtail their water usage, after a water pipeline was damaged Wednesday.
Two men from Solano County were arrested on suspicion of multiple felonies following a lengthy pursuit on Highway 101 along the Northern California coast over the weekend.
Human plate umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two calls per game and get additional appeals in extra innings.
San Francisco 49ers star defensive lineman Nick Bosa will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the team confirmed Monday.
The Oakland Ballers have won their first Pioneer League Championship. They beat the Idaho Falls Chukar 8-1 in Game 5 Sunday night.
San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa left the win against the Arizona Cardinals with a knee injury.
Eddy Pineiro has kicked a 35-yard field goal to give the San Francisco 49ers a 16-15 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
The United States Department of Justice said an Oakland man will serve nearly 20 years for a firebombing in Berkeley and an attempted firebombing at an Oakland federal building.
Four suspects aged 12 to 15 years old were arrested in Pleasanton after they fled into a residential neighborhood following a robbery, authorities said.
Authorities in eastern Contra Costa County said a middle school student was arrested after a firearm was found on campus Tuesday morning.
Two teens believed to be gang members were arrested by San Jose police in connection with a string of vandalism incidents throughout the city, including community parks.
Three young men were arrested following separate armed robberies in San Jose that included one person getting pistol-whipped, police said.
Human plate umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two calls per game and get additional appeals in extra innings.
Early analysis shows the network was used for communication between foreign governments and individuals known to U.S. law enforcement.
The city of Antioch has just employed a new desalination plant that promises a secure water future, one of the first operating desalination plants in the Bay Area, all thanks to the city's past.
Members of the blind community have found new ways to use the AI technology to help manage everyday tasks, such as reading the mail.
As the Trump administration imposes a new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, many tech leaders in the Bay Area say the policy could deal a serious blow to innovation and economic competitiveness in Silicon Valley and beyond.
California's Santa Cruz County announced that sales on filtered cigarettes will be banned in 2027, which officials say is the first ban of its kind.
Health officials in Santa Clara County have given the authorization for the Whole Foods Market in Cupertino to reopen, more than four months after a vermin infestation forced the location to close.
Contra Costa County has become the first county in the U.S. to ban junk food in supermarket checkout lanes.
California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington on Wednesday issued unified recommendations on COVID-19, influenza and RSV vaccines that differ from those issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The "California Peer Run Warm Line," a statewide mental health resource, is being forced to slash two-thirds of its workers amid budget cuts.
California's Santa Cruz County announced that sales on filtered cigarettes will be banned in 2027, which officials say is the first ban of its kind.
The White House's autism announcement exaggerates links to Tylenol, misleads on vaccines, and sets back the field by ignoring decades of research, scientists say.
Early analysis shows the network was used for communication between foreign governments and individuals known to U.S. law enforcement.
President Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, the 80th anniversary of the world body.
A battle is brewing in the small town of Forestville in the Russian River Valley over a proposed project that has become a flashpoint.
A former Yosemite employee says they've been fired by the National Park Service, three months after flying a transgender pride flag from El Capitan.
For the past three years, LGBTQ+ youth could contact 988 and press 3 to connect them to a counselor specifically trained to support their mental health needs.
A Bay Area mother and her adult son are recalling with pride their family journey in a lesbian household that bucked traditional expectations of masculinity.
San Francisco International Airport has been declared among the world's "most beautiful" for its design of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, which was completed last year.
Hope, Love, Pride — A Celebration will showcase live reporting from the parade route, special guests in studio, and stories from throughout Pride month that feature people from the Bay Area's LGBTQ community.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" had been preempted on Wednesday following comments Kimmel made on the show in response to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Friday marked the one-year anniversary of San Francisco's inaugural Front Street Entertainment Zone event, Oktoberfest on Front Street.
Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon opened their late-night shows using a mix of humor, song and expressions of solidarity with suspended ABC host Jimmy Kimmel.
ABC's announcement came as media giants Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would preempt Jimmy Kimmel's show indefinitely on all their stations over his remarks.
Cardi B confirmed on "CBS Mornings" that she is pregnant and having a baby with boyfriend, NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oakland Unified School District has seen an alarming spike in the number of unhoused students in the school system who deal with a host of challenges far beyond what most children face.
Meteorologist and CBS News Bay Area's resident pilot Lt. Jessica Burch got a treat during Fleet Week, taking to the skies with one of the Blue Angels.
A Bay Area man discovered his devastating loss left him with a new opportunity to rethink how he lives -- follow his journey in virtual reality, 360-degree video.
A groundbreaking medical study involving the UCSF Medical Center has shown some colorectal cancer patients can safely skip radiation treatment and enjoy a potentially higher quality of life.
Every day, San Francisco bar pilot Captain Zach Kellerman goes through what might just be the world's most dangerous commute.
Itay Hod reports on how Healdsburg is adapting to its tourism boost. Website: http://kpix.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/CBSSanFrancisco Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CBSSanFrancisco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kpixtv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KPIXtv
The auction of memorabilia from the legendary Willie Mays is expected to generate millions for his Say Hey Foundation. Kenny Choi reports.
A stretch of 71st Avenue near International Boulevard in East Oakland has been a dumping ground for years, and even though the city has a hotline to report dumping, residents say there is no real action from the city. John Ramos reports.
Firefighters extinguished a burning power pole in a San Jose neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon that threatened neighboring homes, authorities said.
The Oakland Fire Department on Tuesday was celebrating a huge milestone with the recent reopening of three fire stations. Brad Hamilton reports.
In 2025, KPIX is moving to a new community service award: the CBS News Bay Area Icon Award. Submit nominations for an outstanding community hero at kpix.com/icon.
It's the most wonderful time of the year for a South Bay woman who has played Mrs. Claus for more than 40 years for the children of North San Jose's Alviso District.
For residents of the Oakland Hills, the prospect of another wildfire always remains a concern. This week's Jefferson Awards winner has made it his mission to make the hills and other high-risk areas safer.
In East Palo Alto -- where state education numbers show more than nine in ten public school students are low income and more than half are English learners -- many are finding hope and connection at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula.
This week's Jefferson Award winner is Army veteran who continues to live a life of service into his 80s, by feeding hundreds of San Francisco families a week.
A Bay Area man who overcame tremendous obstacles to excel in school has made it his mission to gear up other students for success in the classroom and in life.
For Students Rising Above scholar Josh Collins it took moving across the country to realize the value of his Bay Area family.
Samir Hooker had to grow up fast after his stepfather was shot dead 12 years ago. Now he is watching over his mom and sister while attending UC Berkeley.
It's hard enough to graduate from one of the most prestigious schools in the country when you're the first in your family to go to college. Imagine doing that while you're also trying to protect your parents from being deported?
Some students who are the first in their families to go to college face the challenge of balancing a rigorous academic load while still working to help support their family back home.