The Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, 10 September 2006.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

The debate over incarceration vs. diversion for mentally-ill inmates is one that has been going on for years in Los Angeles, and can be traced back to 1997, when the federal government conducted a number of probes on conditions for mentally-ill inmates locked up in L.A. County.

Today, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors is continuing a discussion about whether to build a new jail which would specifically inmates in need of correctional rehabilitation for issues like mental health or drug addiction. With billions of dollars at stake, supporters are saying the jail would drastically improve conditions for mentally-ill inmates by creating a facility focused specifically on their needs. Opponents argue the money might be better used elsewhere, possibly to create more diversion programs for the mentally-ill.

Is it worth it for the county to spend this money on building a jail for mentally-ill inmates or is there a better way to improve conditions for mentally-ill inmates?

Guests:

Terri McDonald, Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. She also spent 24 years with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Peter Eliasberg, legal director at the ACLU of Southern California. He co-authored a report this past July called “A Way Forward: Diverting People with Mental Illness from Inhumane and Expensive Jails into Community-Based Treatment that Works”

Stephanie O’Neill, KPCC healthcare correspondent. Her series on police and the mentally ill can be found HERE.

"The Wrecking Crew"

Would it surprise you to know that session musicians, not just official band members, recorded the famous "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys or "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & The Papas?

If not, then it's likely you know The Wrecking Crew were a motley group of musicians who helped create "west coast sound" of the 1960s and 70s. A new documentary by Denny Tedesco, son of late Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco, is an educational, entertaining and musically rich labor of love that promises to become a classic primer on this fantastic chapter of American music.

"The Wrecking Crew" opens in Los Angeles this Friday, March 13 at the Nuart Theatre.    

Guests:

Denny Tedesco, Producer & Director of “The Wrecking Crew” documentary (Magnolia Pictures); son of legendary late Wrecking Crew guitarist, Tommy Tedesco

Don Randi, Keyboardist of The Wrecking Crew & owner of the Studio City jazz club, The Baked Potato

Helio Castroneves of Brazil driver of the #3 Team Penske Dallara Honda celebrates with his girlfriend Adriana Henao and their baby Mikaella after earning pole position during Pole Day qualifying for the IZOD IndyCar Series 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 22, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana.; Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images

The number of unmarried, cohabiting parents in the US is at a record high, according to recently-released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the years.

One out of four births to women between 15 to 44 years old in the last five years were to unmarried couples living together, according to the data, a twofold increase from a decade ago.

What are the economic and sociological implications? What accounts for the surge?

Guest:

Wendy Manning,  Director of the Center for Family and Demographic Research and Co-Director for the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio

Members of SEIU United Health Workers West opposed to the sale of the Daughters of Charity Hospitals to Prime Healthcare rally outside of Monday's public hearing in Lynwood.; Credit: Elizabeth Aguilera/KPCC

Prime Healthcare Services walked away from buying six Daughters of Charity Health System hospitals in California, citing the “onerous and unprecedented conditions” set by  California Attorney General Kamala Harris as the reason.

How long Prime should keep all acute care services going was the main sticking point to the deal. Harris wanted a promise of 10 years from Prime, but the Ontario-based healthcare company said it could only do five.

Read the full story here

Guests:

Mike Sarian, President, Prime Healthcare

Jamie Court, President of the Santa Monica-based nonprofit group, Consumer Watchdog

A screen grab of Palcohol creator Mark Phillips explaining his product that was approved this week by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, part of the U.S. Treasury Department.; Credit: VCU CNS/Flickr

The next big entry into the realm of powdered drink mix? Alcohol. Yes, powdered booze could be hitting store shelves as early as this summer after the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved labels on Tuesday for Lipsmark LLC, the Arizona-based manufacturer of the powdered alcoholic mix, called “Palcohol."

The products approved include a powdered rum, vodka, margarita, and cosmopolitan.

The FDA did a scientific review of the product and didn’t find any concerns with its ingredients nor any legal reason to ban it. Some states (South Carolina, Vermont, and Louisiana) have adopted pre-emptive bans against the product. California, however, has no laws banning its sale.

Concerns about Palcohol include abuse by minors, potential for the powder to be snorted, and whether the powder would make it easier to spike drinks or sneak into public events. Lipsmark founder and Palcohol creator Mark Phillips says his product is safe and that he created it because he hikes and backpacks frequently, and enjoys a drink when he gets where he’s going.

What, if any, concerns do you have about the approval of powdered alcohol? Would you buy it?

Guest:

Robert Lehrman, founding attorney at Lehrman Beverage Law, a law firm specializing in the regulation of a wide array of beverages. His blog, BevLog, reviews thousands of beer, wine, and spirit labels approved by the TTB each year.

A line of police officers guard the Anaheim Police Department before a protest to show outrage for the several recent officer-involved shootings on July 29, 2012 in Anaheim, California. ; Credit: Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images

Civil liberties attorneys are suing two California law enforcement agencies for failing to disclose how they use Stingrays - suitcase-size devices that trick cellphones in any given region into transmitting phone data to police instead of phone service providers.

The American Civil Liberties Union of California claims the Anaheim Police Department and Sacramento Co. Sheriff's Department are using Stingrays (also known as IMSI catchers) to track private information of bystanders and suspects "with little or no oversight by the public, legislative agencies, or courts...." Joseph Cassilly, past president of the National District Attorney's Association, defends the use of Stingrays by police empowered with arrest warrants to hunt fugitives. As current State's Attorney for Harford Co., Maryland, Cassilly says his office has no use for the private information of bystanders ensnared by Stingrays.

How are judges dealing with criminal charges linked to Stingray data? Would judges grant warrants for Stingrays if police sought warrants? How much does the public deserve to know about police use of Stingrays?

Guests:

Jessica Price, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California

Joseph Cassily, past President of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA); current State's Attorney for Harford County, Maryland

People come to this mental health urgent care center, across from County/USC hospital, with a range of mental health needs. Some need a refill of their psychiatric medications. Others have been placed on involuntary psychiatric holds, and can remain here up to 23 hours.; Credit: Rebecca Plevin/KPCC

In the second part of our look at how local law enforcement deals with mentally ill individuals, we’re joined by a psychiatrist and former UCLA professor who worked in L.A. County’s crisis center for years.

Dr. Stephen Seager, who now works with the criminally insane at a California hospital, says interactions between police and individuals in crisis is “reactive,” and that policies (and funding) need to take a proactive approach in handling the population with mental illness - to help prevent harm. Dr. Seager will share his experiences working in this arena and explain how challenging it is to diagnose individuals in crisis.  

Guest:

Dr. Stephen Seager, M.D., board-certified psychiatrist, a former assistant professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine and author most recently of "Behind the Gates of Gomorrah: A Year with the Criminally Insane" (Simon & Schuster, September 2014)

Demonstrators protests in front of the police station on March 12, 2015 in Ferguson, Missouri. Two police officers were shot yesterday while standing outside the station observing a similar protest. ; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Just when you thought the dust was settling in Ferguson, Missouri, the shootings of two police officers outside the Ferguson Police Department have brought the St. Louis suburb back into the national spotlight.

Officials are calling the shootings an “ambush,” but so far have not arrested anyone in connection with the incident. How is the community responding to these latest shootings?

Guests: 

Steve Giegerich, reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch who has been covering the story

Willis Johnson, pastor at Wellspring Church in Ferguson, Missouri.

Actress Lily James arrives at the premiere of Disney's "Cinderella" at the El Capitan Theatre on March 1, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig and Amy Nicholson review this week’s releases, including “Cinderella,” “Run All Night,” “The Wrecking Crew,” and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Guests:

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA today      

Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and chief film critic for LA Weekly

The American flag on display at the University of California, Irvine campus.

A debate over whether the American flag should be banned from display in a student government office is still raging across the campus of UC Irvine more than a week after the issue erupted.

A student government council at UCI last week voted 4 to 1 to ban all flags, including the American flag, from being displayed at an office used by the group. The decision was eventually overturned by a higher student government body, but not before the story went national, drawing media attention and condemnation from far beyond the confines of  the Orange County school.

Two full student government meetings where the flag ban was to be debated were cancelled this week, after the school received what it deemed were credible threats.

Guest:

Phuc Pham, News Editor who’s been following the story at UC Irvine’s campus newspaper, New University

Metro CEO Art Leahy is leaving his post when his contract expires in April. ; Credit: Kitty Felde/KPCC

Next month, Art Leahy will move from the top position at Metro to become the chief executive officer at Metrolink.

While at Metro, Leahy supervised highway and transit projects worth over $14 billion. At Metrolink, he will lead the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on miles and the eighth based on annual ridership.

Art Leahy stops by AirTalk, so join our conversation with your questions.

Guest:

Art Leahy, outgoing Metro Chief and soon to be CEO of Metrolink

(L-R) Kim Kardashian, North West and Kanye West attend the Alexander Wang Fashion Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Pier 94 on February 14, 2015 in New York City.; Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty Images

Our names say a lot about us. They’re more than what we are known to the world, and more often than not, they are reflections of family, cultural and ethnic histories and traditions inscrutable to the outside world.

Los Angeles is as diverse a place as they come. If you are a parent, how did your culture or heritage inform the name you gave to your child? If you are from a biracial, bicultural family, how does your name mirror that background? What do you know about your name? Call in and let us know!

Guest:

Pamela Redmond Satran, co-operator of the baby name website Nameberry. She is the author of the novel, “Younger,” the inspiration behind an upcoming TV series that debuts on TV Land in March.

Archer Farms K-Cups Candy Cane; Credit: m01229 via Flickr

For companies selling products in today’s world, it’s not just about quality and price point anymore.

Packaging is also starting to become a key factor in the way companies sell products, and specifically, how (if at all) companies are focusing on making their product packaging more sustainable.

For some companies, it is a true focus on leaving a smaller carbon footprint, but for others, the benefits of creating greener packaging for products are just a perk. For them, the real focus is on reducing packaging to help their bottom line. Either way, it’s consumers who are affected by these products at the end of the day, but do they really think that much about sustainable packaging when they buy things?

Do consumers take their carbon footprint into account when buying products? How do they respond when companies make an effort to create more sustainable packaging for their products?

Guests:

Candace Hodder, freelance sustainability consultant and an expert in sustainable product packaging. She’s also former director of Clean Agency, a local sustainability consulting firm that works with large companies and organizations to develop sustainability strategies.

Kevin Dooley, Professor of Supply Chain Management at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He also is research director of The Sustainability Consortium at ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability.

A school bus is parked outside the Venice High School, where police are investigating allegations of the sexual assault of students at the school in Venice Beach, California on March 14, 2015. Police today are continuing their search for four male suspects who were allegedly part of a group of 14 accused of sexually assaulting two underage girls at the school. ; Credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

10 students have been arrested in connection with sex crimes against two female classmates at Venice High School, and investigators are searching for four more students who are believed to have participated in the criminal activities.

Authorities believe the crimes started in 2013, some consensual and others coerced. While the investigation is still underway, both of the female victims have been interviewed by LAPD investigators “at length.” The district attorney’s office has not yet reviewed the evidence, but charges are most likely to be brought against the students if they spread video or photographic evidence on the internet.

What can be done to deter or prevent students from engaging in illicit sexual activity? How will these arrests shape the discussion around teenage sexuality and sex crimes?

Guests:

Dmitry Gorin, partner at the Van Nuys-based criminal defense firm Eisner Gorin, LLP, he formerly prosecuted juvenile sex cases and is an adjunct law professor at Pepperdine University School of Law and UCLA

Ginger Clark, associate professor of Clinical Education at USC’s Rossier School of Education; she’s worked with university officials on strengthening sexual assault policies on campus.

XOXO Jeans, a division of Aris Industries and XOXO Clothing Col, is selling a limited-edition $29 flag T-shirt, donating part of the proceeds to the American Red Cross'' disaster relief fund.; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Later this month, the Supreme Court will consider taking up the case of three California students suing their school district for stopping them from wearing American flag t-shirts on Cinco de Mayo.

Dariano vs. Morgan Hill School District stems from celebrations of the Mexican-American holiday in 2010 at Live Oak High School. A group of students chose to don American flag t-shirts, then was told by the assistant principal to cover up the flag for fear it would spark school fights. The students sued claiming violation of their free speech rights under the First Amendment. So far, all the lower courts including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have sided with school officials' interest in preventing disruption.

Can safety concerns reasonably limit the First Amendment? Or is it up to school officials to ensure a school is safe enough to accommodate all types of speech? Should the Supreme Court grant a hearing of this case? What types of speech limits would you support a teacher or principal imposing? How much leeway do schools have in preventing gang colors being worn, for instance?

Guests: 

John Eastman, Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service, Dale E. Fowler School of Law at Chapman University; Founding Director, The Claremont Institute's, Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence; Eastman authored an amicus brief in this case

Lawrence Rosenthal, Professor of Law, Dale E. Fowler School of Law, Chapman University

GALVESTON, TX - NOVEMBER 10: Millionaire murder defendant Robert Durst (C) sits in State District Judge Susan Criss court with his attorney Dick DeGuerin (R) November 10, 2003 at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas. Durst is being charged for the murder and mutilation of his neighbor Morris Black. (Photo by James Nielsen/ Getty Images) ; Credit: James Nielsen/Getty Images

Real estate mogul and subject of HBO’s documentary series ‘The Jinx,’ Robert Durst, was arrested in New Orleans on Sunday after law enforcement officials discovered new evidence that they say links him to the 2000 killing of his friend and former spokeswoman, Susan Berman.

Durst will be extradited back here to Los Angeles.

As luck would have it, his arrest came on the same day as HBO aired the final episode of the six-part series, which included what some are calling a confession at the very end of the episode. In the scene, Durst gets up to use the restroom after an interview with the filmmakers. Unaware that his microphone hasn’t been turned off, Durst can be heard muttering some very incriminating things to himself, though he never directly references a specific person or event.

Durst has also been previously implicated in the disappearance of his wife in 1982 and the murder of his neighbor, shortly after Susan Berman’s body was found. He was never tried for his wife’s appearance but was charged with and eventually acquitted of murder in his neighbor’s death.

What does the evidence show about Robert Durst’s guilt? What do you think the final scene of the documentary says about him and his guilt? How does one go about defending Durst in this case?

Guest:

Nina Seavey, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker for “A Paralyzing Fear: The Story of Polio in America”  in 1998. She also directs The Documentary Center at The George Washington University in DC

Tom Roston, Blogs about documentaries for PBS POV

Harland Braun, a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles. He successfully defended filmmakers John Landis and George Folsey in the Twilight Zone manslaughter trial in the 1980s. 

The U.S. Drought Monitor records for California as of 12/4/14.; Credit: U.S. Drought Monitor

All the rainfall California has been getting still hasn’t put a dent in the ongoing drought.

Tomorrow, the State Water Board will meet to discuss putting in more restrictive water conservation law. Meanwhile, an AP enterprise piece has found that state officials have been lax in issuing fines on water wasters. 

To make matters worse, a top JPL scientist has warned in an op-ed in the LA Times that the state has just about one year of water supply left. 

What should regulators do to conserve water? What should we do?

Guest:

Peter Gleick, who heads the Pacific Institute in Oakland, a nonprofit that focuses on water use and environmental justice

The likelihood of finding a four-leaf clover, or shamrock, is estimated one in 10,000.

Spilling salt and walking under a ladder are said to bring bad luck, while finding a four-leaf clover and carrying a rabbit’s foot somehow ensure good fortune.

During playoffs, we’ve all heard of the playoff beard and the lucky charm an athlete use to help secure the next win. Even the most rational of us are susceptible to superstition. 

What is the science of superstition? Is there a special ritual you go through before an important exam, say? Or something you wear to a job interview? What are some of your personal superstitions?

Here's what AirTalk listeners had to say:

@AirTalk no whistling backstage at the theatre! Just don't do it.

— Falcon Theatre (@Falcon_Theatre) March 17, 2015

@AirTalk A child's game turned lifelong belief: hold your breath in a tunnel and your wish comes true. I still do it on my way to Malibu!

— Pauline (@ahhelga) March 17, 2015

Celina in Inglewood: "There's a superstititon in Hawaii that ancestors live in the stones in Hawai'i. I realize this isn't true but when I moved from Hawaii, I left my stones there  (I'm a massage therapist)."

Conrad in Santa Ana: "A friend of mine bought a magnetic bracelet for his son who plays basketball with my kid. I made fun,  but he says, "If he believe it works it will work." Which I thought was very interesting."

Gigi in Pasadena: "I was born on Dec. 13, my daughter was born on Jan. 13, and my only grandaughter was born on March 13, and she just celebrated her 23rd birthday this past Friday the 13th. I'm the antithesis to superstition, we've led great lives because of it."

Beth in Burbank: "Mercury retrograde is a HUGE one. In our family, if you take a trip on a plane or train you have to take your first step with your right foot first. If you don't you have to take a step back and do three clockwise spins and do it again, for safety."

Lawrence in Hollywood: "When I lived in New Mexico, people take their hats off and hold them upside down so that luck collects in it."

What are your personal superstitions? Tell us by posting in the comments below!

Guests:

Matthew Hutson, science writer whose latest piece, “The Science of Superstition” appears in this month’s The Atlantic Monthly; author of the book, “The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking” (Hudson Street Press; 2012)  

Hand with pills; Credit: Daniel Foster/Flickr

Since passing in November, Prop 47, which reclassified most drug possession and lower value property crimes as misdemeanors, has helped empty out California’s overcrowded jails and prisons, but it may also have led to a decline in the number of drug possession defendants choosing court-ordered drug treatment.  

With shorter sentences in county jails, there's one less incentive for addicts to do rehab. In Orange County, about half the numbers of addicts are signing up for treatment as were before Prop 47. Without the threat of a felony conviction, how can courts get more addicts to go to treatment?

Read the full story.

Guests: 

Lenore Anderson, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, which coordinated the campaign to pass Proposition 47, and before that, she was Chief of Policy at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office

Michael Ramos, District Attorney, San Bernardino County; he opposed Prop 47 

An Israeli ultra-orthodox Jewish man casts his ballot at a polling station in Bnei Brak, near the city of Tel Aviv, on March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in a close-fought election pitting the centre left against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ruled out a Palestinian state in a last-ditch appeal to the far-right. ; Credit: GIL COHEN MAGEN/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a last-ditch appeal for votes just hours before polling stations close in a tight election.

He says the gaps between his hawkish Likud party and the center-left opposition need to be narrowed. Yesterday, Netanyahu appealed to Likud hardliners by pledging that no Palestinian state would be established under his rule.

The Zionist Union party, led by Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni, is the leading challenger. Its platform includes resuming negotiations with Palestinians, boosting the domestic economy, and repairing ties with the White House. The Joint List, a coalition of Arab political parties, is expected to drive up chronically low voter turnout among Arabs living in Israel (also known as Palestinian Citizens of Israel).

Even if Likud loses, is there a chance Netanyahu would become part of a coalition? How has Washington reacted to Netanyahu’s statements on a Palestinian state?

With files from the Associated Press.

Guests: 

Neri Zilber, Visiting fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy a think tank described as advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East.

Yousef Munayyer, Executive Director of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation - a coalition of organizations founded in 2002