Tragic, horrifying, despicable - all these words describe the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and over a dozen other innocent civilians in Arizona last Saturday. But the most important adjective is the one we're hearing least: preventable.

We know by now that the shooter was mentally ill. It's entirely possible,...

Last month, the California State Assembly put politics over the best interest of our kids. Rather than promoting the best interests of the communities they are elected to serve, they gave in to sound-bite fears. In rejecting the ban on juvenile life without parole sentences they missed an opportunity to...

Let's be honest: Guns are made for a purpose. Handguns, assault weapons -- most of the guns found in urban areas are made so that one person can kill another person. They may -- as the NRA likes to point out -- require a human being to actually pull the...

School's out for summer. That means swimming pools, outdoor grilling, and summer camp -- but it also means hard times for many in Los Angeles. No school means no lunch for many low-income kids, no child care for working parents, and more crime citywide.

As budget-driven cuts to the length...