4/23/01

LC010423

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S NO HOPE WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH STREET GANGS, BUT IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, HOPE IS ALIVE.

LEAH SANDERS>> THIS LAPD-BACKED INTERVENTION PROGRAM IS REDEFINING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COMMUNITIES TO STOP KIDS FROM JOINING GANGS.

WILLIAM CASTILLO>> WELL, AT FIRST MY FRIENDS MADE FUN OF ME AND I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHATEVER. IT'S MY PROBLEM. I DO WHATEVER I WANT TO DO. I DON'T DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO. I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEM WITH PEER PRESSURE.

VAL>> AND ON TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, WE'LL HEAR WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOU DECIDE TO FIGHT THAT TRAFFIC TICKET.

JESS>> WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING SO SMALL COULD BE SO POWERFUL? A NEW SCIENCE IS EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF MOLECULES THAT COULD CHANGE THE WAY WE USE ENERGY, COMPUTERS AND MEDICINES. WE'LL TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT NANOSYSTEMS.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, SUPPRESSION HAS BEEN A MAJOR PART OF THE LAPD'S BATTLE AGAINST GANGS. RAMPART DIVISION'S ANTI-GANG UNIT CALLED CRASH MADE HEADWAY IN GETTING CRIMINALS OFF THE STREETS, BUT THE UNIT HAD TO BE DISBANDED AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF EXTREME POLICE MISCONDUCT.

VAL>> BUT ABOUT THE SAME TIME TROUBLE WAS BREWING WITHIN RAMPART, A DIFFERENT LAPD GANG INTERVENTION PROGRAM WAS EXPANDING. BUT INSTEAD OF SUPPRESSION, THIS PROGRAM IS USING A SOCIAL APPROACH. AS LEAH SANDERS REPORTS, THE JEOPARDY PROGRAM IS MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE OUT OF GANGS.

LEAH>> THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A BOXING LESSON AT THIS WAREHOUSE IN THE EAST PART OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. HERE, AT-RISK KIDS ARE LEARNING HOW TO STEER CLEAR OF TROUBLE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY'RE FORCED TO LIVE WITH DRUGS AND GANG VIOLENCE. THEY'RE FROM AN AREA KNOWN AS FOOTHILL, JUST OFF THE 118 AND 210 FREEWAYS. IT INCLUDES PACOIMA, SAN FERNANDO AND SYLMAR. IT'S A RACIALLY MIXED COMMUNITY THAT'S MOSTLY LATINO WITH MANY AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND SOME WHITES. EVERY DAY IS A BATTLE FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING HERE. IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, 51 OF 77 MURDERS IN FOOTHILL WERE GANG-RELATED. THE AREA HAS SOME 50 GANGS REGULARLY AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS. ALICIA REYES IS CERTAIN THAT'S WHERE HER SON, WILLIAM, WAS HEADED.

ALICIA REYES>> HE USED TO FIGHT IN SCHOOL, NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT SOMETIMES, AND I WOULD HAVE TO MISS WORK AND JUST GO OVER THERE. HE SOMETIMES WOULD NOT COME HOME AT 3:00 WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO.

LEAH>> REYES SAYS HER SON USED TO HIT HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AT FIRST, REGULAR COUNSELING DIDN'T WORK. THEN SHE TOOK HER SON TO THE LAPD'S JEOPARDY PROGRAM.

ALICIA REYES>> I THOUGHT I WAS DOING GOOD WITH THE KIDS ABOUT COMMUNICATING AND I FOUND OUT THAT THE WAY THAT I WAS DOING IT, IT WASN'T THE RIGHT WAY, THAT I WASN'T GOING TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF THEM THAT WOULD MAKE ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH.

LEAH>> BOXING IS JUST A SMALL PART OF THIS INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT'S REDEFINING THE WAY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITIES STOP KIDS FROM BECOMING GANG MEMBERS. RICHARD STOCKS HAS BEEN AN OFFICER WITH THE LAPD ABOUT 20 YEARS. HE'S ONE OF THE PROGRAM'S FOUNDERS. JEOPARDY WAS INTRODUCED IN 1990, A YEAR AFTER THE VALLEY AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES ENDURED A SEVERE OUTBREAK OF DEADLY GANG SHOOTINGS.

RICHARD STOCKS>> SO WE TOOK -- MY PARTNER AND I TOOK THE PROGRAM, EVALUATED IT, LOOKED AT ALL THE THINGS THAT CAUSE A CHILD TO BECOME A GANG MEMBER, THE SOCIAL SYSTEM BEHIND GANG MEMBERSHIP AND THEN DEVELOPED ALL THE STRATEGIES THAT WE EMPLOY TODAY.

LEAH>> MORE THAN TEN YEARS LATER, JEOPARDY HELPS ABOUT 400 KIDS AND FAMILIES A YEAR. STOCKS SAYS WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE IS THAT IT'S A SOCIAL RATHER THAN A POLICE APPROACH TO THE GANG PROBLEM. THE COMMUNITY MAKES UP ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. SCHOOLS AND CIVIC GROUPS WORK WITH THE LAPD IN IDENTIFYING YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK. HERE ON GLEN OAKS BOULEVARD, PSYCHOLOGISTS WORK ALONGSIDE THE TWO FULL-TIME OFFICERS IN HELPING KIDS. IT TAKES $380,000 A YEAR TO RUN THE LAPD PROGRAM, ALL OF IT RAISED THROUGH GRANTS AND FUNDRAISING.

RIGHT NOW THE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING TO EXPAND EXISTING JEOPARDY PROGRAMS IN THE WEST VALLEY, DEVONSHIRE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD AND THE VAN NUYS AREAS. THE JEOPARDY PROGRAM ISN'T EXCLUSIVE TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. IN FACT, LAPD OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO RUN SIMILAR PROGRAMS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS A LACK OF FUNDING. STOCKS SAYS THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION HAD LITTLE MONEY.

RICHARD STOCKS>> WELL, THE INITIAL CONCEPT OF FUNDING FOR ALMOST ANY PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY ARDUOUS. I MEAN, IT'S A MATTER OF HAVING A PROVEN TRACK RECORD. THE DIFFICULTY FOR US IS THAT IT'S A UNIQUE TYPE OF PROGRAM AND OF A MARRIAGE BETWEEN LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT PROGRAM AND THEN A NONPROFIT ENTITY.

LEAH>> THAT PERSISTENCE HAS PAID OFF IN THE FOOTHILL DIVISION. ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE ON THE STREET. OFFICER GARY NANSON IS ASSIGNED TO JEOPARDY.

GARY NANSON>> THE COMMUNITY NOW KNOWS WHO WE ARE, THEY SEE US, WE'RE VERY VISIBLE AND THEY ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

LEAH>> VICKI EDWARDS IS JEOPARDY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SHE SAYS STRONG COMMUNITY AND POLICE TIES ARE THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY AS GANGS ARE GETTING MORE SOPHISTICATED IN THEIR ACTIVITY.

VICKI EDWARDS>> WE ARE FINDING THAT GANG MEMBERS ARE STARTING TO DRESS DIFFERENT. YOU MIGHT FIND FEWER TATTOOS, FEWER VISIBLE TATTOOS, MORE PEOPLE IN BUSINESS ATTIRE, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE STOLEN SOMEBODY'S CREDIT CARD AND YOU LOOK LIKE A GANG MEMBER PRESENTING THAT TO MACY'S, THEY'RE GOING TO ASK YOU FOR ID.

LEAH>> WILLIAM, ALICIA REYES' SON, SAYS JEOPARDY HAS FOREVER CHANGED HIS LIFE. HE'S NOW A VOLUNTEER WITH THE PROGRAM. WILLIAMS SAYS HE LEARNED A WAY OF LIFE WITHOUT GANGS AND DRUGS.

WILLIAM CASTILLO>> WELL, AT FIRST MY FRIENDS WOULD MAKE FUN OF ME AND I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHATEVER. IT'S MY PROBLEM. I DO WHATEVER I WANT TO DO. I DON'T DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO. I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH PEER PRESSURE.

LEAH>> HILDA FERNANDEZ AND HER FAMILY ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW. THEY LIVE IN THE SAN FERNANDO GARDENS PROJECTS, AN AREA NOTORIOUS FOR GANGS. SHE SAYS WHEN HER SON, JUAN, WAS NINE, HE WAS STEALING FROM STORES, CLASSMATES AND HITTING HIS SISTERS. SHE SAYS THE PARENTING LESSONS HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE.

HILDA FERNANDEZ>> WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS I HAD TO STAND FIRM WITH HIM. I KNEW WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIM AND WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIM WAS TO BE HERE IN JEOPARDY. SO NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE PLEADED AND BEGGED NOT TO COME, I WOULD STILL BRING HIM. THE GENTLEMAN, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT WAS HERE? HE WOULD TELL MY SON, DON'T MAKE ME HAVE TO GO LOOK FOR YOU AT YOUR HOUSE.

LEAH>> JUAN IS NOW 17 AND SAYS HE'S LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW TO TREAT HIMSELF AND OTHERS.

JUAN FERNANDEZ>> HOW TO RESPECT MY MOM, CONTROL MY TEMPER AND STAY OFF THE STREETS.

JESS>> STATISTICALLY, WHAT'S THE MEASURE OF THIS SUCCESS?

LEAH>> THEY SAY SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED, 86 PERCENT. AND I SAID, WELL, HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT? AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF THE YOUNG PERSON STAYS OUT OF GANGS. THAT, TOGETHER WITH CHECKING THEIR GPA AT SCHOOL. I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THEIR REPORT CARDS, THE BEFORE AND AFTER, FROM D'S AND F'S TO B'S AND C'S, A' AND B'S. THEY ALSO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE PARENTS AND ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW'S YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER DOING? BASED ON THAT, THEY'VE COME UP WITH ABOUT 86 PERCENT.

VAL>> SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR MORE OR LESS HOW LONG?

LEAH>> SINCE 1990.

VAL>> OH, SO THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME TO JUDGE.

LEAH>> JUST WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THOUGH, IT'S REALLY PICKED UP STEAM BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET MORE FUNDING AND RIGHT NOW, AT LEAST FOR THE FOOTHILL DIVISION, THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FUNDING SOURCE IN PLACE.

JESS>> IT'S DESCRIBED AS A SOCIAL PROGRAM, BUT SOME OF THESE YOUNGSTERS AREN'T THERE VOLUNTARILY, ARE THEY?

LEAH>> NO, AND THAT'S WHAT I SAID. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE LEVERAGE YOU GET TO HOLD THEM HERE? A FEW OF THEM ARE ON PROBATION, SO LEGALLY THEY HAVE TO BE THERE. A LOT OF THEM -- WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS USING INTERNAL LEVERAGE. THE KIDS LOVE THE BOXING, INLINE SKATING, THE TRIPS, THEY GET TO PLAY BASKETBALL. BEFORE THEY CAN DO THAT, THEY HAVE TO ARRIVE AT 4:00 OR 4:30, DO A HALF HOUR OF HOMEWORK, READING, AND THEN THEY CAN DO THE PROGRAMS. SURPRISINGLY, ONCE THEY GET THEM THERE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD IN THE BEGINNING, THEY GET THEM THERE, THEY STAY BECAUSE THEY LOVE IT.

VAL>> GREAT STUFF. VERY ENCOURAGING. WISH THERE WERE ROOM FOR 4,000 KIDS INSTEAD OF JUST 400.

LEAH>> EXACTLY.

VAL>> LEAH, THANKS SO MUCH.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, THESE FASCINATING CREATURES ARE ORANGUTANS. THEIR NATURAL HOME, HOWEVER, IS BEING DESTROYED AND THEY COULD DISAPPEAR FROM THE PLANET. WE'LL TALK WITH A MAN WHO HAS COME TO THEIR RESCUE. THAT'S TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT AT 7:00 P.M.

JESS>> IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, YOU'VE JUST RECEIVED A TRAFFIC TICKET AND YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU WERE NOT IN THE WRONG. DO YOU BOTHER TO FIGHT IT OR JUST PAY THE FINE AND BE DONE WITH IT?

VAL>> WELL, JOINING US NOW TO HELP YOU DECIDE IS SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, KEVIN ROSS. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES AND YOU HAVE SOME TIPS FOR US ON WHEN TO HOLD 'EM AND WHEN TO FOLD 'EM. (LAUGHTER).

KEVIN ROSS>> YES, AND I THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS YOU WILL BE MY GOOD DRIVER AND JESS WILL BE THE DRIVER FROM HELL. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) STEREOTYPING AGAIN.

KEVIN ROSS>> USUALLY WHAT WE SEE IS COMMON THINGS LIKE, VAL, LET'S JUST SAY, IN YOUR SITUATION, IT WAS NOT DRIVING WITH A SEATBELT AND YOU MAY HAVE SOME TINTED WINDOWS ON YOUR VEHICLE THAT ARE A DARK TINT. JESS, IN YOUR SITUATION, YOU RAN A RED LIGHT, YOU WERE DRIVING 100 MILES AN HOUR. IN EITHER SITUATION, THE POLICE STOP YOU. WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING -- THE OFFICER WALKS UP TO YOU, VAL, AND SAYS, "DO YOU KNOW WHY I STOPPED YOU?"

VAL>> I HAVE LEARNED THIS ONE. YOU'RE NEVER SUPPOSED TO COP TO ANYTHING AT THE BEGINNING. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY, "GEE, OFFICER, I HAVE NO IDEA." (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) THAT WOULD WORK.

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, AND ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING IT IS, "I GATHER YOU'RE STOPPING ME BECAUSE YOU THINK I COMMITTED SOME SORT OF VIOLATION." AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE, WHEN IT COMES TIME TO A TRIAL IF THERE NEEDS TO BE ONE, THE OFFICER'S GOING TO GET ON THE STAND AND SAY THIS PERSON ACKNOWLEDGED THAT EITHER I WAS SPEEDING OR I DID NOT HAVE THE SEATBELT. SO, AGAIN -- IF IT TURNS OUT YOU REALLY ARE GUILTY OF COMMITTING THE OFFENSE, CLEARLY THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS JUST TO PAY THE TICKET. BUT IN THE SITUATION LIKE WITH YOU, VAL, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR SEATBELT ON AND YOU DECIDED, YOU KNOW WHAT, I WANT TO GO TO COURT BECAUSE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR IT. YOU GET TO COURT, DO YOU HAVE TO PAY A FINE EVEN THOUGH YOU WANT TO GO TO TRIAL?

VAL>> EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO GO TO --

KEVIN ROSS>> -- YOU WANT TO GO TO TRIAL, YOU WANT TO FIGHT IT.

VAL>> I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO PAY A FINE TO GO TO TRIAL.

KEVIN ROSS>> YOU DO.

VAL>> YOU'RE KIDDING.

KEVIN ROSS>> YOU DO. YOU HAVE TO PAY THE MONEY UP FRONT, ENTER A PLEA OF NOT GUILTY AND THEN, ONCE THAT HAPPENS, IT'S SET FOR TRIAL. JESS, IN YOUR CASE, IF YOU WERE TO DECIDE YOU WANTED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND PAY THE FINE OUTRIGHT, IN ADDITION TO GOING INTO COURT, YOU CAN ALWAYS MAIL IT. WHAT'S GREAT IS, ON THE INTERNET NOW, YOU CAN DO THINGS BY CREDIT CARD.

JESS>> I DIDN'T HAVE ANY DEFENSE.

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, YOU MAY HAVE A DEFENSE. WE'RE GOING TO GET TO YOU AND ACTUALLY --

JESS>> -- I WAS LATE. I WAS REALLY LATE.

KEVIN ROSS>> (LAUGHTER) WELL, LET'S SAY THIS. LET'S JUST SAY YOU WERE SPEEDING TRYING TO GET HERE TO LIFE AND TIMES AND YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TIME TO FIGHT THIS CASE IN COURT. IS THERE ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE YOU CAN HAVE?

JESS>> HIRE A LAWYER?

KEVIN ROSS>> ACTUALLY, YOU COULD HIRE A LAWYER. MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, WHEN YOU HAVE AN INFRACTION, YOU CAN STILL HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

VAL>> YEAH, BUT YOU'LL SPEND MORE ON THE LAWYER THAT YOU WOULD JUST PAYING THE TICKET.

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, THAT'S THE ARGUMENT.

JESS>> BUT IN TRAFFIC COURT, YOU CAN HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION?

KEVIN ROSS>> YOU CAN HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO GO DOWN TO THE COURT ITSELF, YOU CAN DO WHAT'S CALLED TRIAL BY DECLARATION. WHAT THAT IS, YOU CAN ACTUALLY WRITE OUT SOMETHING, MAKE PHOTOCOPIES OF PICTURES AND DIAGRAMS, MAIL ALL THAT IN AND ASK TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT TRIAL BY DECLARATION.

JESS>> IT'S NOT JUST A SIGNED CONFESSION? YOU CAN ACTUALLY PLEAD INNOCENT?

KEVIN ROSS>> NO, YOU CAN STATE YOUR ARGUMENT. IF YOU HAVE ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OFFER TESTIMONY, THAT COULD BE NOTARIZED --

VAL>> -- IF YOU SEND IN A SIGNED CONFESSION, YOU PROBABLY WON'T BE -- (LAUGHTER)

KEVIN ROSS>> -- MORE THAN LIKELY, THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

JESS>> I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SIGN SOMEBODY ELSE'S NAME.

KEVIN ROSS>> OH, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT'S A GOOD POINT TOO. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DECIDE -- BECAUSE YOU GOT AN ATTITUDE, REMEMBER, YOU'RE THE DRIVER FROM HELL -- YOU DECIDE I'M NOT GOING TO SIGN THAT TICKET. WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD HAPPEN TO YOU?

VAL>> OH, YOU MEAN RIGHT THERE WHEN THE COP STOPS YOU?

KEVIN ROSS>> RIGHT THERE. CAN THEY DO ANYTHING?

VAL>> HE COULD PROBABLY --

JESS>> -- TAKE MY LICENSE AWAY OR --

KEVIN ROSS>> -- WELL, THEY CAN TAKE YOU AWAY. (LAUGHTER) THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE YOU TO JAIL IF YOU DON'T SIGN THAT NOTICE TO APPEAR.

JESS>> FOR A SIMPLE TRAFFIC VIOLATION?

KEVIN ROSS>> SIMPLE TRAFFIC VIOLATION BECAUSE IT'S THE VIOLATION ITSELF THAT GIVES YOU AN INFRACTION AND INFRACTIONS DON'T INVOLVE ANY JAIL TIME. BUT IF YOU SAY I WILL NOT SIGN THAT TICKET, THEY CAN IMPOUND YOUR CAR AND ARREST YOU AND TAKE YOU TO JAIL.

JESS>> SO I SHOULD SIGN THE TICKET.

KEVIN ROSS>> AND THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S A MISDEMEANOR IF YOU SIGN SOMEONE -- YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE CUTE AND SIGN SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME OR SOMETHING, THEY CAN ACTUALLY CHARGE YOU WITH A MISDEMEANOR WHERE YOU CAN BE LOOKING AT UP TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL AND/OR A $1,000 FINE EVEN THOUGH THE VIOLATION ITSELF MAY HAVE BEEN ONLY A FEW DOLLARS.

VAL>> SO YOU'RE NOT SIGNING -- YOU'RE NOT ADMITTING GUILT BY SIGNING IT?

KEVIN ROSS>> YOU'RE NOT ADMITTING ANY GUILT. YOU'RE JUST SAYING I RECEIVED THIS, I KNOW WHEN THE DATE IS AND I WILL PROMISE TO APPEAR.

JESS>> AND THE OFFICER, AT LEAST I'VE HEARD, EXPLAINS THAT TO YOU WHEN HE GIVES YOU THE TICKET?

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, AND THEY SHOULD, AND WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING, WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO TO COURT, ALL THAT BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S JUST SAY YOU HAVE THE DATE FOR TRIAL, THE OFFICER DOESN'T SHOW UP, YOU AUTOMATICALLY WIN.

VAL>> I HEARD THAT, AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY BELIEVE THEY WERE GUILTY, WILL SHOW UP IN COURT WITH THE HOPES THAT THE OFFICER WON'T BE THERE.

KEVIN ROSS>> ABSOLUTELY.

JESS>> PARTICULARLY WITH THE SHORTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS AND THE DEMANDS ON THEM.

KEVIN ROSS>> SHORTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS AND OFTENTIMES OFFICERS ARE ON VACATION OR THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH OTHER CASES. AND DEPENDING ON YOUR ATTITUDE, IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO IS VERY PLEASANT, LIKE OUR DRIVER VAL HERE, SHE COMES TO COURT DRESSED VERSUS YOU COMING IN WITH A TANK TOP AND SANDALS --

JESS>> -- BUM. (LAUGHTER)

KEVIN ROSS>> -- YOU KNOW, WE WOULD SAY, OKAY, ARE WE SURE WE CAN'T GET THAT OFFICER HERE? BUT GENERALLY, WHEN THEY CALL THE CALENDAR AND THE OFFICER'S NOT THERE, YOU WIN.

VAL>> NOW WHAT IF YOU GO THERE AND THE OFFICER IS THERE. WHAT SHOULD YOU COME WITH PREPARED TO FIGHT IT?

KEVIN ROSS>> MOST IMPORTANTLY, BE PREPARED TO PRESENT YOURSELF WITHOUT AN ATTITUDE BECAUSE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE GET SO EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED AND THEY TRY TO MAYBE START ATTACKING THE POLICE OFFICER. YOU KNOW, BE VERY PLEASANT, COME DRESSED PROFESSIONALLY. IF YOU'VE GOT WITNESSES, DON'T SAY, OH, WAS THIS THE DAY I WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING THEM? THIS IS THE DATE FOR TRIAL. AND THESE ARE COURT TRIALS, SO IT'S NOT INVOLVING JURIES, JUST A JUDGE.

JESS>> LET ME CITE AN EXAMPLE FOR YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN, BUT YOU WERE IN THE WRONG LANE TO DO SO, BUT YOU WENT OVER INTO THE CENTER LANE AND THEN MADE YOUR RIGHT-HAND TURN. THE OFFICER STOPS YOU BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT YOU TURNED OUT OF THE WRONG LANE.

KEVIN ROSS>> RIGHT.

JESS>> YOUR ARGUMENT IS, NO, I CHANGED LANES AND THEN TURNED, BUT VERY QUICKLY, AND THE JUDGE IS SITTING THERE PUZZLED AND FINALLY TELLS YOU IT'S A TOSS-UP, BUT GIVEN THAT, I HAVE TO TAKE THE OFFICER'S WORD FOR IT.

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, WHAT OFTENTIMES WILL HAPPEN IS, IT REALLY IS A TOSS-UP FOR MOST CITIZENS. I'VE DONE TRAFFIC MATTERS. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW CREDIBLE THE PERSON IS VERSUS HOW CREDIBLE THE OFFICER IS. BECAUSE LIKE IN THE SITUATION WITH VAL, SHE MAY HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT A SEATBELT, BUT MAYBE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED IS THAT THERE WAS A BABY BEHIND HER AND THE BABY MAY HAVE THROWN SOMETHING AND SO SHE HAD TO UNFASTEN HER SEATBELT TO TEND TO THE BABY AND THEN TURN AROUND. WELL, TECHNICALLY, WAS SHE DRIVING WITHOUT A SEATBELT? YES. BUT WOULD A COURT FIND HER NOT GUILTY? PROBABLY.

ALSO IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS A CAMERA AND THEY CATCH YOU DRIVING THROUGH THE LIGHT, SOMEONE CATCHES YOU, YOU KNOW, NOT ACTUALLY AN OFFICER, BUT JUST A CAMERA? WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE A PERSON HAD THEIR SPOUSE AND THE SPOUSE WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND THEY WERE RUSHING HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. ON THE CAMERA, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE PERSON HOLDING THEIR SPOUSE AND THEY WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY EVEN THOUGH THEY RAN THROUGH THAT LIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS CALLED NECESSITIES --

VAL>> -- OH REALLY?

KEVIN ROSS>> -- THAT WOULD BE A DEFENSE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SAY I SHOULD NOT BE FOUND GUILTY.

JESS>> YOU MENTIONED THE CREDIBILITY OF THE PERSON WHO'S GOT THE TICKET AND THE CREDIBILITY OF THE OFFICER. AS A JUDGE, DO YOU OFTEN QUESTION THE CREDIBILITY OF THE OFFICERS WHO TESTIFY IN YOUR COURT?

KEVIN ROSS>> OH, YES, YOU HAVE TO BECAUSE --

JESS>> -- MORE SO NOW THAN YOU WOULD HAVE FIVE YEARS AGO?

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, YOU NOW, I WASN'T ON THE BENCH FIVE YEARS AGO, SO I CAN'T SAY. THAT'S AN EASY WAY OUT OF THAT. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL PROBABLY. (LAUGHTER)

KEVIN ROSS> BUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS, SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT COME INTO COURT ARE PREPARED, THEY HAVE THEIR PICTURES, THEY HAVE THEIR WITNESSES. IF THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, YOU JUST SAY I NEED AN INTERPRETER SO I CAN REALLY ARTICULATE WHAT'S GOING ON AND THE COURT PROVIDES THAT. THERE IS A WEB SITE, LASUPERIORCOURT.ORG, THAT GIVES ALL THE INFORMATION ON TRAFFIC. THAT'S LA --

VAL>> -- LASUPERIOR --

KEVIN ROSS>> -- SUPERIORCOURT, ONE WORD, .ORG. YOU CAN FIND OUT INFORMATION ON TRAFFIC, HOW TO PAY FOR THESE TICKETS ONLINE. THE METRO TRAFFIC BUILDING DOWNTOWN HANDLES SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6,000 AND 10,000 PEOPLE A DAY AND SO IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING DOWN THERE AND THEY'RE BUSY. SO IF YOU CAN DO THESE THINGS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO HANDLE IT.

VAL>> JUDGE KEVIN ROSS, ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE.

KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, I FIGURED IT WAS TIME TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT TRAFFIC. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> VERY PRACTICAL INFORMATION.

SO WHAT STORY DO YOU HAVE TO TELL ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN TRAFFIC COURT? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

VAL>> IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, WHAT IF MOLECULES COULD DO THE SAME WORK AS COMPUTER CHIPS AND LIGHT BULBS AND EVEN REVEAL THE SECRETS OF EVOLUTION? WELL, SUCH A SCIENCE IS EMERGING. IT IS CALLED NANOTECHNOLOGY, NANO MEANING REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SMALL THINGS.

JESS>> BUT HOW DO YOU EXPLORE SUCH A MICROSCOPIC UNIVERSE? THAT'S THE MISSION OF THE CALIFORNIA NANOSYSTEMS INSTITUTE, A JOINT ENTERPRISE OF UCLA AND UC SANTA BARBARA WHICH WAS RECENTLY AWARDED STATE FUNDING. WE'LL BE TALKING MORE WITH AN EXPERT ON NANOTECHNOLOGY, BUT FIRST, HERE'S A SAMPLING PROVIDED BY UCLA OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE CALIFORNIA NANOSYSTEMS INSTITUTE.

>> THEY ARE SOME OF THE SMALLEST STRUCTURES ON EARTH, ABOUT A MILLIMETER OR ONE-BILLIONTH OF A METER IN SIZE, BUT RESEARCHERS AT UCLA AND SANTA BARBARA ARE PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY TO EXPOSE AND HARNESS THEIR SECRETS, TURNING MOLECULAR-SIZE MATERIAL INTO A POWERHOUSE THAT COULD TRANSFORM THE 21ST CENTURY.

MATTHEW TIRRELL>> NANOTECHNOLOGY MEANS VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL-SCALE TECHNOLOGY. THESE ARE THINGS BELOW WHAT YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR EYES, BELOW THE SIZE OF HUMAN HAIR, BUT STILL CONTAIN THE COMPLEXITY OF LARGE-SCALE MACHINERY.

EVELYN HU>> WE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY NOW WHICH WE NEVER HAD BEFORE OF MAKING THOSE CIRCUITS THAT DRIVE YOUR COMPUTERS, THAT DRIVE YOUR WRISTWATCHES, YOUR PALM PILOTS, HAVING THEM SELF-ASSEMBLE, HAVING AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT WAY OF MANUFACTURING FROM BOTTOM UP.

>> THE EFFICIENCY OF COMPUTERS HAS DOUBLED EVERY FEW YEARS, BUT SILICON IS REACHING THE LIMITS OF HOW SMALL MANUFACTURERS CAN MAKE IT. PROFESSOR JIM HEATH IS WORKING ON A MOLECULAR COMPUTER THAT CAN STORE AND TRANSMIT DATA ON A SINGLE MOLECULE REPLACING SILICATES THOUSANDS OF TIMES ITS SIZE.

JIM HEATH>> ONE ELECTRON IS WHAT CAUSES THIS RING TO ROTATE. YOU TAKE ONE ELECTRON AWAY AND THAT CAUSES IT TO CLOSE. YOU PUT IT BACK, IT OPENS. A NEUTRON GOAL WOULD BE TO MAKE A HARD DRIVE THAT'S FAST TO USE, SO IT'S NOT LIKE A HARD DRIVE NOW WHERE YOU HAVE TO READ IT SLOWLY, BUT IT'S VERY FAST AND IT IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FINGERNAIL.

>> RESEARCHERS AT UC SANTA BARBARA HAVE DEVELOPED NANOMETER-THIN WAFERS OF VALIUM NITRIDE THAT COULD SOON REPLACE CONVENTIONAL LIGHTING, DRASTICALLY REDUCING ENERGY DEMANDS.

STEVE DENBAARS>> WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE, IF WE ACHIEVE OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF MAKING THESE THINGS, IS LIGHT BULBS THAT LAST BASICALLY FOREVER AND THAT ARE FIVE TO TEN TIMES MORE EFFICIENT THAN YOUR CURRENT LIGHT BULBS.

>> PROFESSOR CHIH-MING HO IS AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER WHO NOW WORKS WITH CARDIOLOGISTS, PHYSICISTS AND CHEMISTS ON THE NANO SCALE. A SINGLE CELL PLACED ON A COMPUTER CHIP OFFERS CLUES TO CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.

CHIH-MING HO>> WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS DNA IN THE FLOW FIELD.

>> A TINY STRAND OF DNA IS STRETCHED AND RECOILED IN LIQUID TO LOOK FOR GENETIC ERRORS THAT CAUSE DISEASE.

CHIH-MING HO>> SMALLER AND SMALLER. WE CAN REALLY SEE UNLIMITED POTENTIAL TO USE THESE TECHNOLOGIES TO CHANGE OUR LIVES AND TO IMPROVE OUR HEALTH.

>> EVOLVING PETSCAN TECHNOLOGY OFFERS DOCTORS UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITIES TO CURE DISEASE ON THE NANO, OR MOLECULAR, SCALE. UCLA PROFESSOR, MIKE PHELPS, IS THE CO-INVENTOR.

MIKE PHELPS>> TODAY, MOLECULAR MEDICINE IS, IN FACT, A WAY TO GO TO THE ORIGIN OF THE DISEASE. WHERE DID IT COME FROM? WHAT IS IT? WHAT ARE THE MOLECULAR ERRORS OF THE DISEASE AND HOW DO YOU FIX THEM? 

>> EVERYWHERE, NATURE ITSELF OFFERS EXQUISITE NANO-SCALE ARCHITECTURE BEYOND THE PRESENT CAPABILITIES OF MAN. RESEARCHERS STUDY HOW A SPONGE PRODUCES SILICON, TINY RODS OF GLASS REVEALING SECRETS OF EVOLUTION KEPT FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS. NANOTECHNOLOGY IS NOW UNRAVELING AND COPYING THE CODES.

JIM HEALTH>> IF WE CAN FIND WAYS TO MANUFACTURE AND MAKE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT LIGHTING, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN GREEN MANUFACTURING, THEN WE CAN IMAGINE INCREASING OUR OWN STANDARD OF LIVING AND ALSO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND THAT'S WHAT NANOTECHNOLOGY IS ABOUT.

JESS>> JOINING US WITH MORE IS ROBERTO PECCEI, WHO'S VICE CHANCELLOR OF RESEARCH AT UCLA. THE RESEARCH IS OBVIOUSLY VERY EXCITING AS WE SAW IN LOOKING AT THAT MATERIAL. HOW SOON CAN WE EXPECT SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATION?

ROBERTO PECCEI>> WELL, THERE ARE ALREADY PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE WORK THAT JIM HEATH WAS DESCRIBING IN THE VIDEO IS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE MEMORY DEVICES WHICH ARE BASED ON MOLECULAR ELECTRONICS RATHER THAN SILICON TECHNOLOGY. NOW HOW SOON THAT WILL BE? TWO OR THREE YEARS PERHAPS?

JESS>> REALLY? IN TERMS OF RESEARCH, THAT'S SOON.

ROBERTO PECCEI>> RIGHT, RIGHT. I MEAN, TO REALLY MOVE THAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY MUCH FURTHER, IT PROBABLY WOULD TAKE A LONGER TIME AND SOME ASPECT OF IT MAY TAKE A LONG TIME.

VAL>> BUT IT'S INTERESTING THAT SILICON COMPUTER CHIPS ARE PRETTY MUCH MAXED OUT. THEY CAN'T GET MUCH SMALLER THAN THEY CURRENTLY ARE, SO IF THEY GO MOLECULAR, DOES THIS JUST INCREASE BY MANY TIMES HOW MUCH THINGS CAN SHRINK?

ROBERTO PECCEI>> RIGHT. BASICALLY, WHAT YOU SAID IS RIGHT. THERE'S A ROADBLOCK ON SILICON TECHNOLOGY WHICH IS THAT THE KIND OF CIRCUITS YOU'RE MAKING, YOU'RE MAKING THEM WITH LIGHT THAT HAS ROUGHLY THAT SIZE, SO IT'S LIKE THROWING A PEBBLE IN A POND AND IT SCATTERS ALL OVER THE PLACE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PRECISE CIRCUITS. WE HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING AROUND IT AND MOLECULAR ELECTRONICS IS ONE WAY TO DO THAT.

JESS>> AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING SMALLER THAN A CELL. YOU'RE REALLY DEALING WITH SOMETHING -- AN ATOM?

ROBERTO PECCEI>> YES. YOU'RE DEALING WITH COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR VARIOUS THINGS CALLED QUANTUM DOTS THAT ARE MAYBE PERHAPS 1,000 ATOMS, BUT STILL VERY, VERY SMALL THINGS AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY TRY TO DEVISE NEW WAYS TO MANUFACTURE THINGS. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PROMISES OF THE NANOSYSTEM IS THAT WE'LL TRY TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS ASSEMBLED, EXCEPT BIOLOGY. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED NANOSYSTEM AND NOT ONLY NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY BECAUSE BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN MADE. I'VE GOT SCALE PROTEINS OUT OF THE ORDER OF NANOMETERS. SO WE HOPE THAT WE LEARN A LOT FROM BIOLOGY AND ABOUT BIOLOGY BY ALSO INVESTIGATING AT THIS SCALE.

VAL>> AND COULD YOU ELABORATE? THERE WAS A THOUGHT THAT WAS EXPRESSED IN THE REPORT THAT SAID WE WOULDN'T BE MANUFACTURING TRIPS, BUT THEY WOULD SORT OF, WHAT, GROW ON THEIR OWN?

ROBERTO PECCEI>> WELL, I MEAN --

VAL>> -- ASSEMBLE THEMSELVES?

ROBERTO PECCEI>> YEAH, THE IDEA, AND AGAIN, THIS COMES BACK TO MY PEBBLE IN THE POND. YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THINGS SELF-ASSEMBLE, THAT IS, TO SELF-ORGANIZE AND, IF YOU CAN DO THAT, AND IF YOU ALSO TOLERATE SOME DEFECTS AND, IN FACT, YOU GO AROUND WITH THIS BIG STUMBLING BLOCK, SO THERE'S SELF-ORGANIZATION. ROUGHLY, THINGS BEGIN TO SELF-ORGANIZE AT THE LEVEL OF 100,000 MOLECULES OR ATOMS. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY SUBTLE IN HOW YOU TELL THEM TO SELF-ASSEMBLE, BUT THAT'S --

JESS>> -- ISN'T THAT RATHER UNUSUAL FOR SUCH PROJECTS LIKE THIS TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE STATE?

ROBERTO PECCEI>> YES. IN FACT, I THINK THAT THIS IS A TERRIFIC, TERRIFIC INVESTMENT FROM THE STATE. NOT ONLY WILL THE INVESTMENT VERY WELL FOCUS ON THE STATE, BUT THEY ALSO ASKED US TO GO AND GET OTHER MONEY. SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE STATE PUTS IN, WE HAVE TO FIND TWO DOLLARS FROM OUTSIDE. SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS COME FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY, SOME COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SO IT'S A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP.

VAL>> SEE, AS SOON AS GOVERNOR DAVIS HEARD ABOUT THE LIGHT BULB THAT COULD LAST FOREVER -- (LAUGHTER) -- THAT WOULD GET HIM OUT OF TROUBLE.

ROBERTO PECCEI>> WELL, WE HOPE THAT WE CAN GET HIM OUT OF TROUBLE. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE QUITE THERE, BUT WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN SOLVING THE ENERGY PROBLEM.

VAL>> THAT IS SO EXCITING. ROBERTO PECCEI, VICE CHANCELLOR OF RESEARCH AT UCLA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

JESS>> AND THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S BROADCAST. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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