5/22/03

LC030522

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> WHY THE CITY IS SO RELUCTANT TO HIRE A FEW MORE COPS, AND IT STARTED A LONG TIME AGO.

JOE DOMANICK>> THE CITY ESSENTIALLY MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL AND THAT WAS PROPERTY TAXES WOULD STAY LOW AND THE LAPD WOULD REMAIN SMALL.

VAL>> AND THEN, CREATING A HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET FOR A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS BUSINESS, THE PORN INDUSTRY. A FORMER PORN STAR IS CRUSADING FOR MORE THAN JUST SAFE SEX.

JESS>> PLUS, A TRIP TO THE ISLANDS BY WAY OF THE LONG BEACH AQUARIUM.

VAL>> IT’S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

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 ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> HOW MUCH POLICING CAN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AFFORD?

JESS>> THAT’S THE DEBATE OF THE WEEK AT CITY HALL AND CHIEF BILL BRATTON HASN’T GOTTEN WHAT HE WANTS. WHEN HE WAS RUNNING THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT, BRATTON COMMANDED 40,000 COPS. THAT’S ABOUT FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF THE LAPD. BUT AS PHILIP BRUCE REPORTS, BRATTON MAY HAVE TO GET USED TO THE L.A. WAY, WHERE POLICING IS A LEAN AND SOMETIMES MEAN BUSINESS.

[FILM CLIP]

PHILIP BRUCE>> WATCH THE NEW RECRUITS IN ACTION AND YOU MAY AGREE THAT THE LAPD HAS THE LOOK AND SOUND OF AN OVERWHELMING FORCE, BUT CHECK THE POLICE ROLL AND YOU’LL FIND THAT L.A.’S COPS ARE ACTUALLY VASTLY OUTNUMBERED. IT’S TRUE TODAY AND IT’S BEEN TRUE FOR A LONG TIME.

DAVID DOTSON>> AS FAR BACK AS 1960, THEY WERE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE GROUP OF THE LARGE CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

PHILIP BRUCE>> DAVID DOTSON JOINED THE LAPD IN THE 1950’S. SINCE RETIRING AS ASSISTANT CHIEF IN THE EARLY 90’S, HE’S BEEN A CONSULTANT ON POLICE ISSUES.

DAVID DOTSON>> BACK IN 1960, I WAS A YOUNG POLICE OFFICER WORKING IN THE BUDGET UNIT OF PLANNING AND RESEARCH AND BILL PARKER WANTED US TO SURVEY THE TWELVE LARGEST CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES TO DETERMINE WHAT SIZE THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS IN RELATION TO THEIR POPULATIONS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THAT’S WHEN DOTSON LEARNED JUST HOW FEW OFFICERS THE LAPD HAD AND, ACCORDING TO JOE DOMANICK, AN AUTHOR WHO’S WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ON THE DEPARTMENT, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT CITY FATHERS INTENDED.

JOE DOMANICK>> THE LAPD HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN SO SMALL BECAUSE, WAY BACK IN 1950 WHEN BILL PARKER, THE MODERN-DAY GODFATHER OF THE LAPD, BECAME CHIEF, THE CITY ESSENTIALLY MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL AND THAT WAS PROPERTY TAXES WOULD STAY LOW AND THE LAPD WOULD REMAIN SMALL.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BY DOMANICK’S ACCOUNT, CHIEF PARKER DEVISED A STRATEGY OF POLICING TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN SPITE OF ITS SMALL NUMBERS.

JOE DOMANICK>> THEY WOULD BE MOBILE, THEY WOULD CONFRONT AND COMMAND PEOPLE ON THE STREET. THEY WOULD BE KINGS OF THE STREET. BUT THE DOWN SIDE WAS THAT, TO DO THAT KIND OF POLICING, YOU HAVE TO BE INDISCRIMINATE IN THE WAY THAT YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE TO PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FEAR INTO THEM IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE STREETS. YOU CAN’T DO IT LIKE YOU MIGHT WITH COMMUNITY POLICING WHERE YOU GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, YOU GET TO KNOW LEADERS AND YOU WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> OVER THE YEARS, THE DEPARTMENT’S EFFORT TO CONTROL THE STREETS HAS LED TO A LONG LIST OF TROUBLES, THE RODNEY KING INCIDENT AND THE RAMPART TO NAME JUST TWO. BUT EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES, PEOPLE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY STILL WANT TO SEE THE POLICE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

DAVID DOTSON>> IF THERE ARE ANY AREAS IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WHERE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT A POLICE PRESENCE, I’M NOT AWARE OF THEM.

PHILIP BRUCE>> A CASE IN POINT IS SOUTH LOS ANGELES. THE NUMBER OF MURDERS IN THIS AREA CONTRIBUTED HEAVILY TO THE CITY’S UNWELCOME REPUTATION AS AMERICA’S MURDER CAPITOL LAST YEAR.

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON>> WELL, IT ALL COMES BACK TO ONE THING. WHERE ARE THE POLICE?

PHILIP BRUCE>> AUTHOR AND POLICY ANALYST, EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON, HEADS THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR POSITIVE ACTION.

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON>> YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, WHERE’S THE PROTECTION IN OUR COMMUNITY NOW? WHERE ARE THE OFFICERS? WE DON’T SEE A VISIBLE PRESENCE OF OFFICERS IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE’S A GREAT FEAR AND THERE’S A GREAT TERROR ON THE PART OF RESIDENTS THAT THEY CAN BE VICTIMIZED.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT HUTCHINSON SAYS THERE IS ALSO GREAT FEAR OF THE POLICE.

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON>> THERE IS STILL THAT MEMORY IN THE PAST OF HOW THE POLICE HAVE OPERATED IN BLACK COMMUNITIES, THE SENSE THAT THERE HAS BEEN ALMOST AN OCCUPYING ARMY. SO IT’S REALLY A TERRIBLE CONFLICT THAT GOES ON IN THE MINDS OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT DAVID DOTSON SAYS THERE SHOULD BE NO CONFLICT OVER THE FACT THAT UNDERSTAFFING HAS LED TO A STEADY DECLINE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OVER THE YEARS. IN ADDITION TO A SLOW RESPONSE TIME TO CALLS FOR SERVICE, HE SEES MANY PROBLEMS.

DAVID DOTSON>> THE NUMBERS OF CRIMES THAT ARE ACTUALLY INVESTIGATED BY DETECTIVES WITH A VIEW TOWARD SOLVING THEM AND ARRESTING THE PERPETRATORS HAS STEADILY DIMINISHED OVER THE YEARS. THE CLEARANCE RATE OF CRIME HAS STEADILY DIMINISHED. THE HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATE IS TERRIBLE. THERE JUST ARE NOT ENOUGH OFFICERS DOING THE BASIC POLICE TASKS TO KEEP UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THERE IS IN THE CITY.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AND WHAT IF LOS ANGELES WERE TO FACE A CATACLYSMIC EVENT?

DAVID DOTSON>> IN LOS ANGELES, IF YOU TOOK TWO THOUSAND OFFICERS TO ADDRESS SOME SINGLE PROBLEM, YOU WOULD DEPLETE YOUR ENTIRE FIELD FORCE PROBABLY AND LEAVE NO ONE TO DO THE ROUTINE KINDS OF POLICING ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> FOR DOTSON, THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE. HIRE MORE OFFICERS, BUT GRADUALLY. BRINGING IN VAST NUMBERS OF RECRUITS ALL AT ONCE AND THEN TRAINING AND SUPERVISING THEM IS DIFFICULT.

DAVID DOTSON>> IN HIRING LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES JUST TO DO THAT. IT’S LIKE A SNAKE SWALLOWING A PIG. IT’S A GREAT EFFORT. HE CAN GET THAT PIG SWALLOWED, BUT THEN HE’S NOT ANY GOOD FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL HE CAN ASSIMILATE THAT PIG AND THAT’S THE WAY THE DEPARTMENT IS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT WITHOUT MORE OFFICERS, CHANGING THE WAY THE DEPARTMENT POLICES THE CITY WILL BE A CHALLENGE AND IT COULD BE EVEN TOUGHER FOR CHIEF WILLIAM BRATTON. HE’S ON RECORD AS SUPPORTING THE BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY OF POLICING. IF OFFICERS TAKE THE TIME TO DEAL WITH SMALL QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES, LARGER PROBLEMS WON’T DEVELOP.

JOE DOMANICK>> THAT’S ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF MANPOWER TO DO THAT.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IN THE MEANTIME, EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON SAYS HIS COMMUNITY IS READY FOR MORE POLICE AND IT’S ALSO WILLING TO SUSPEND SOME OLD FEARS.

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON>> WITH THIS GANG AND MURDER THING, I THINK MY SENSE IS THAT SUPERSEDED THE HISTORIC FEARS AND OPPOSITION AND ANIMOSITY THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD TOWARD THE POLICE.

JESS>> CHIEF BRATTON IS STILL ARGUING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OVER HIS NEW BUDGET. HE WANTS $27 MILLION DOLLARS TO HIRE AND EQUIP MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SAYING NO FOR NOW WHILE PROMISING TO RECONSIDER IN SIX MONTHS.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, A WAY TO PREVENT URBAN PARKS FROM BECOMING POCKETS OF CRIME. COPS AREN'T THE ANSWER, BUT HIDDEN CAMERAS AND SURVEILLANCE GEAR MIGHT BE.

>> PRIVACY ISSUES ARE SUPERSEDED BY THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE AMOUNT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, IF IT GOES UNCHECKED, WILL CREATE CHAOS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF LAST NIGHT'S LIFE AND TIMES "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" POLL: YES: EIGHTEEN PERCENT, NO: FIFTY PERCENT, ONLY WITH U.N. SUPPORT: THIRTY-TWO PERCENT.

JESS>> BY ALL ACCOUNTS, IT CAN BE A HAZARDOUS BUSINESS AND, TRADITIONALLY, THERE'S ALMOST NO SAFETY NET FOR THOSE WHO DO THE WORK. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PORN INDUSTRY, AN UNSEEMLY BUT TECHNICAL LEGAL BUSINESS THAT EMPLOYS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND A FORMER PORN STAR IS STRESSING MORE THAN JUST SAFE SEX.

VAL>> SHE RUNS ADULT INDUSTRY MEDICAL, A CLINIC THAT OFFERS THOSE IN THE PORN BUSINESS AIDS TESTS AND OTHER HEALTH SERVICES AND, AS SAUL GONZALEZ REPORTS, THE FIRST STEP TOWARD MAKING THIS LUCRATIVE INDUSTRY MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS WORKERS' HEALTH.

>> GO ON. GO FIND YOUR ROMEO. OH, I LIKE THAT BIT (LAUGHTER).

SAUL GONZALEZ>> IT'S A MONDAY AFTERNOON ON A SOUNDSTAGE IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND CAST AND CREW ARE WORKING TO COMPLETE A PORNOGRAPHIC MOVIE. WHEN FINISHED, IT WILL BE JUST ONE OF OVER TEN THOUSAND SUCH ADULT FILMS RELEASED IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY YEAR. WHILE THE CAMERAS ROLL ON SET, PERFORMERS BACKSTAGE ARE GETTING SAFE SEX COUNSELING FROM SHARON MITCHELL, A LEADING LADY OF ADULT FILMS TURNED PUBLIC HEALTH CRUSADER ON BEHALF OF SEX WORKERS.

SHARON MITCHELL>> AND THESE ARE THE CROWN CONDOMS THAT YOU CAN'T SEE ON VIDEO.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY NOT LOOK LIKE THE STELLAR PLACE TO BE OF SERVICE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? SERVICE IS SERVICE. YOU HELP PEOPLE OUT WHERE YOU CAN, WHEN YOU CAN. YOU APPLY WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED AND GIVE BACK IN LIFE, BECAUSE I'M A FORMER PORN STAR THAT WANTS TO GO TO HEAVEN TOO.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> THE UNABASHEDLY FLAMBOYANT MITCHELL IS THE FOUNDER OF ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST UNUSUAL HEALTH CARE CLINICS, SHERMAN OAKS-BASED ADULT INDUSTRY MEDICAL, OR A.I.M. IT'S A CLINIC WHOSE CLIENTELE IS MADE UP EXCLUSIVELY OF LOS ANGELES'S GROWING POPULATION OF SEX WORKERS.

SHARON MITCHELL>> YOU'VE GOT NICE GOOD BLOOD FLOW TODAY.

>> OH, DON'T MIND ME. I'M JUST GOING TO LOOK AWAY.

SHARON MITCHELL>> OH, I DON'T BLAME YOU. IT'S OKAY.

WE DO THE HIV TESTING, STD TESTING, GYN SERVICES, COUNSELING, WE DO DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELING, WE DO PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT. WE CAN'T MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO GET IN OR GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE ENOUGH EDUCATION AND ENOUGH BACKGROUND OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE TO HELP PEOPLE MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> IN AN INDUSTRY WHERE COMPASSION CAN BE AS THIN AS THE PLOT LINES OF ITS MOVIES, SHARON MITCHELL IS SEEN BY PERFORMERS AS THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL AND HER CLINIC A SANCTUARY.

MCKAYLA>> IT'S NOT LIKE GOING TO A REGULAR MEDICAL DOCTOR, BECAUSE YOU WALK IN AND YOU'RE FINE BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE IS JUST LIKE YOU. NOBODY'S LOOKING DOWN ON YOU. NOBODY IS LOOKING AT YOU LIKE, OH, YEAH, SHE'S THE SO-SO, YOU KNOW?

SHARON MITCHELL>> THE POPULARITY OF A.I.M. HEALTH CARE NOW IS THAT PEOPLE WILL JUST COME SIT THERE BECAUSE IT'S A SAFE HOUSE. IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO SIT AND TALK. IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO SIT AND FIND LIKE-MINDED FOLKS THAT ARE THERE FOR THE SAME REASON.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> MITCHELL, WHO'S APPEARED IN OVER TWO THOUSAND ADULT FILMS SINCE THE MID-1970'S, STARTED A.I.M. AFTER EXPERIENCING A KIND OF PORN MID-LIFE CRISIS.

SHARON MITCHELL>> AT SOME POINT, IT HIT ME THAT I'D BEEN KNOWN FOR SPREADING MY LEGS FOR ALMOST A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO AMASS ANY SKILLS TO ENSURE THE REST OF MY LIFE. IT WAS REALLY SAD. IT WAS REALLY SAD.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> SO MITCHELL WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AND GOT A DEGREE IN AIDS AND DRUG COUNSELING. WITH FUNDING FROM ADULT FILMMAKERS, SHE OPENED HER CLINIC'S DOORS IN 1998.

SHARON MITCHELL>> IT BECAME REAL CLEAR. ALL OF MY PAIN, I CAN APPLY HERE AND GIVE BACK TO OTHERS. IT'S REDEMPTION FOR ME.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> AIDS TESTING AND EDUCATION ARE AT THE CENTER OF A.I.M.'S WORK. UNDER VOLUNTARY INDUSTRY STANDARDS, OVER FOUR HUNDRED PERFORMERS ARE TESTED HERE ONCE A MONTH. RESULTS ARE RECEIVED BACK IN LESS THAN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. INDIVIDUALS THAT TEST NEGATIVE RECEIVE DOCUMENTATION PROVING THAT THEY ARE VIRUS-FREE. IT'S PAPERWORK THAT'S INCREASINGLY REQUIRED BY MAJOR ADULT FILM COMPANIES BEFORE FILMING OF SEX SCENES BEGINS. IF A PERFORMER DOES TEST POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS THROUGH A.I.M., THE CLINIC WILL PUT OUT AN INDUSTRY-WIDE ALERT AND PLACE THE INDIVIDUAL ON A SEXUAL QUARANTINE LIST, EFFECTIVELY ENDING THAT PERSON'S ON-CAMERA CAREER.

DR. STEVEN YORK>> MOST CONSENTS FOR HIV IN CALIFORNIA STATE THAT THERE WILL BE EXTREME SECRECY WITH THE RESULTS. OUR CONSENT SAYS RIGHT UP FRONT THAT IF YOU ARE POSITIVE, WE ARE GOING TO TELL EVERY RELEVANT MEMBER OF THE INDUSTRY WHO NEEDS TO KNOW.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> PHYSICIAN, STEVEN YORK, IS A.I.M.'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR. HE SAYS IF THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY WERE TO LET DOWN ITS GUARD, THE AIDS VIRUS COULD SPREAD LIKE A PRAIRIE FIRE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OF PERFORMERS.

DR. STEVEN YORK>> THIS GROUP IS NOTABLE BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, THEIR NUMBER OF SEXUAL PARTNERS IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUALS. YOU MIGHT FIND PEOPLE HAVING THREE OR FOUR SEXUAL PARTNERS A MONTH. YOU MIGHT FIND PEOPLE HAVING AS MANY AS TWO HUNDRED OR THREE HUNDRED IN A SINGLE DAY. THAT KIND OF THING DOES GO ON.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> TWO HUNDRED OR THREE HUNDRED?

DR. STEVEN YORK>> YES. TWO HUNDRED OR THREE HUNDRED IN A SINGLE DAY.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> SUCH ACTS ASIDE, WORKER PROTECTION IN ADULT FILMS REMAINS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT.

SHARON MITCHELL>> I DON'T HAVE CAL OSHA STANDARD BEHIND ME. THERE'S NO LAW THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE FROM BLOOD-BORN PATHOGENS IN SEX WORK RIGHT NOW. AS BIG OF AN INDUSTRY AS THIS IS, THE GUY THAT PACKS THE BOXES HAS A RIGHT TO A HEPATITIS B VACCINE, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING UNPROTECTED ANAL SEX --

SAUL GONZALEZ>> NOTHING?

SHARON MITCHELL>> NOTHING.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> MANY ADULT FILM COMPANIES NOW REQUIRE CONDOM USE IN THEIR PRODUCTIONS, YET THESE POLICIES ARE VOLUNTARY AND RELY ON SELF-POLICING. OUTSIDE OF PREVENTING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, MITCHELL ALSO USES A.I.M. AS A PLATFORM TO WARN NEW PERFORMERS ABOUT A HOST OF OTHER DANGERS IN THE INDUSTRY.

SHARON MITCHELL>> NUMBER ONE, THE ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION IS HORRIBLE. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO WALK DOWN THE STREET AND HAVE SOMEONE RECOGNIZE YOU FOR A MOVIE THAT YOU'VE DONE TWENTY YEARS AGO THAT'S NOW RE-RELEASED AS A CLASSIC AND THEY SAW IT IN EUROPE SOMEWHERE. I'M THINKING, "WOW, THAT'S GREAT. I GOT PAID MAYBE $1,500 FOR THAT." NO RESIDUALS, THERE'S NO UNION, WE ARE NOT MILLIONAIRES. SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON MAKING MONEY.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> IN AN EDUCATIONAL VIDEO PRODUCED BY A.I.M., MITCHELL AND ADULT FILM PERFORMER, NINA HARTLY, GIVE SURVIVAL LESSONS TO NEW SEX WORKERS.

NINA HARTLY>> IF YOU HAVE ANY EMOTIONAL OR ABUSE ISSUES, THEY'RE GOING TO COME RUSHING TO THE FORE AND YOU'RE GOING TO START DRINKING AGAIN OR DOING DOPE OR WHATEVER. WHILE IT'S A VERY CAMARADERIE FAMILY TYPE OF FEELING IN THIS BUSINESS, THERE'S LOTS OF POCKETS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE READY TO PREY ON THE WEAK. AND IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE WEAK PEOPLE, THEY WILL GET YOU.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> ALONG WITH AIDS, ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION AND JOB BURNOUT, THE PERFORMERS IN THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY SAY THEY ALSO FACE ANOTHER HAZARD OF THE TRADE: SOCIETY'S CONTEMPT. EVEN AS AMERICA'S APPETITE FOR PORNOGRAPHY CONTINUES TO GROW, THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ON SCREEN SAY THE PUBLIC DOESN'T EVEN WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR EXISTENCE.

MCKAYLA>> I HAVEN'T COME OUT TO EVERYBODY YET ABOUT ME BEING IN THIS BUSINESS. IT'S ONLY BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF THEIR REACTION THAT, "OH, YOU DO THAT?" AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ME ANYMORE. I'M AFRAID OF THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK DOWN UPON IT. BUT IF YOU LOOK IN HOW MANY CLOSETS IN HOW MANY HOMES, PORN IS THERE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE ONES WATCHING THE VIDEOS AND THEY'RE THE ONES BUYING IT, BUT YET THEY CAN LOOK DOWN UPON IT.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> AS ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ENTERS A NEW CENTURY, ITS DEMAND FOR FRESH TALENT REMAINS INSATIABLE. FOR THE SAFETY OF THESE PERFORMERS, SHARON MITCHELL WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO MAKE THE WORLD OF DIRTY PICTURES AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.

>> THE SHOW MUST GO ON AND IT DOES.

VAL>> SINCE THIS STORY FIRST AIRED, SHARON MITCHELL HAS OPENED A SECOND CLINIC, AS WELL AS SEVENTEEN MORE BLOOD-TESTING SITES. THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IS HELPING FOURTEEN ADULT FILM WORKERS THROUGH SCHOOL AND MITCHELL IS TALKING WITH CAL OSHA ABOUT CREATING WORK STANDARDS FOR THE ADULT FILM BUSINESS.

JESS>> AND TONIGHT ON "CALIFORNIA CONNECTED", YOU'LL SEE HOW THE ADULT MOVIE INDUSTRY IS MAKING ITS INFLUENCE FELT IN SACRAMENTO. THAT'S TONIGHT AT 8:00 P.M. HERE ON KCET.

TO SEND A COMMENT OR A QUESTION TO OUR PROGRAM, YOU CAN REACH US BY MAIL AT THIS ADDRESS:

LIFE AND TIMES
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90027

YOU CAN ALSO CALL OUR VIEWER COMMENT LINE (323) 953-5555) OR CONTACT US THE FAST WAY BY E-MAIL AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> AS WE REPORTED SOME MOMENTS AGO, CITY HALL HAS BEEN BUZZING THIS WEEK OVER THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE CITY COUNCIL. PATT SAYS CHIEF BRATTON AND HIS BOSS HAVE A FEW THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT ASKING FOR MONEY. THAT'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> HE DIDN'T SEND FLOWERS, BUT HE SAYS HE'S SORRY. LOS ANGELES POLICE CHIEF BILL BRATTON, WHOSE VOLUBILITY SEEMS TO RISE EVERY TIME HE GETS NEAR A MICROPHONE, WAS RANTING ON HIGH FREQUENCY AND LOW ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL REFUSING HIM TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HIRE MORE COPS.

HE WAS LIKE EISENHOWER BEFORE D-DAY, BRATTON SAID, AND THE COUNCIL WAS LIKE FDR IF FDR HAD ORDERED IKE TO HOVER OFFSHORE FOR SIX MONTHS UNTIL FDR KNEW WHETHER HE COULD AFFORD TO INVADE. HE WAS THE HERO, BRATTON INTIMATED, AND THE STINGY CITY COUNCIL WAS A FELLOW TRAVELER. THEY MIGHT AS WELL PUT OUT THE WELCOME MAT TO OSAMA BIN LADEN. LET THEM START ATTENDING SOME OF THE FUNERALS OF THE VICTIMS OF CRIMES, BRATTON RAGED. LET THEM START ATTENDING SOME OF THE SCENES OF CRIMES LIKE I DO EVERY NIGHT IN THIS CITY.

MAYOR JIM HAHN, WHO'S BEEN IN "I'M WITH HIM" MODE SINCE BIG BILL BRATTON BLEW INTO TOWN, PIPED UP THAT THE COUNCIL WAS STANDING IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE COUNCIL FELT INSULTED. IT'S BEEN FACING A NINE-FIGURE CITY BUDGET DEFICIT AND IT WASN'T ABOUT TO BE CALLED CALLOUS AND EVEN TRAITOROUS FOR NOT GIVING A BLANK CHECK TO BRATTON WHO GOT HIS JOB, IN PART, BECAUSE HE SAID HE COULD CUT CRIME WITHOUT HIRING NEW COPS. HAHN TESTILY DENOUNCED THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET AS UNTRUSTWORTHY AND, AS FOR CITY COUNCILMAN BERNIE PARKS, THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF HAHN BOOTED OUT AFTER HIS EARLIER SUPPORT OF PARKS HELPED HIM TO GET ELECTED MAYOR IN THE FIRST PLACE, WELL, HAHN DISPARAGED PARKS' TENURE THEN AND HIS JUDGMENT NOW.

NICK PACHECO, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, HAS BARELY A MONTH LEFT IN OFFICE AFTER LOSING HIS RE-ELECTION BID. HE COULD HAVE BLOWN OFF THE BUDGET AND DONE A SCORCHED EARTH NUMBER, BUT INSTEAD HE PUT TOGETHER A SOUND PROPOSAL EVEN AT THE COST OF SPLITTING RANKS WITH HAHN. FOR HIS PART, HAHN GRIPED ABOUT HOW HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PLAY "MOTHER, MAY I" WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH SOUNDED A LOT LIKE GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS'S SHOCKING DECLARATIONS THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS THERE TO "IMPLEMENT MY VISION". HOSTILITIES WERE SUCH THAT THE MAYOR'S SISTER, COUNCIL MEMBER, JANICE HAHN, SUGGESTED THEY COULD ALL USE CIVIC MARRIAGE COUNSELING.

NOW WE HAVE BRATTON'S APOLOGY. WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS ONE FROM HIS BOSS. BRATTON IS EATING HIS SHARE OF CROW. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WILL HAHN BE DINING WITH HIM?

VAL>> FOR CENTURIES, ISLAND ANIMALS HAVE ENJOYED THE NATURAL PROTECTION OF ISOLATION, BUT IN THIS MODERN AGE, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS COMPLETE ISOLATION. TRAVEL, TOURISM, COMMERCE AND PLAIN OLD POPULATION GROWTH HAVE PUT MANY ISLAND SPECIES IN DANGER.

JESS>> AND THAT'S ONE REASON LONG BEACH'S AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC DECIDED TO LAUNCH "PACIFIC ISLAND SUMMER". THE EXHIBIT OPENED TODAY AND IT SPOTLIGHTS ECOSYSTEMS ON NEW ZEALAND, HAWAII, TAHITI AND FIJI. VISITORS CAN SEE HOW ISLAND ANIMALS DIE OFF AND ALSO LEARN HOW TO PROTECT THEM. ALONG THE WAY, THE AQUARIUM IS ALSO HOSTING A TRADITIONAL LUAU. THE EVENT WILL LOOK AT THE ARTS AND CULTURE OF THE ISLANDS.

VAL>> AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT "PACIFIC ISLAND SUMMER" IS THE CURATOR, SANDY TRAUTWEIN. WELCOME.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> INITIALLY, THE ISSUE IS THE THREAT. WE'RE LOSING ANIMALS. WE'RE LOSING SPECIES BECAUSE OF TOURISM?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES. UNFORTUNATELY, ISLANDS ARE VERY FRAGILE HABITATS AND ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE SORT OF IS ON A MUCH GREATER SCALE THAN YOU WOULD FIND ON THE CONTINENTAL LAND MASS.

VAL>> I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, IF YOU'VE BEEN ISOLATED, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS, I GUESS, OTHER ANIMALS OR WHATEVER. SO WHEN THEY DO INVADE, THEY'RE VERY VULNERABLE.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, THAT'S VERY TRUE. GUAM IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. THE BROWN TREE SNAKES THERE WERE INTRODUCED ACCIDENTALLY AFTER WORLD WAR TWO AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE CAUSED MAJOR ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE THERE. OVER TWELVE SPECIES OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY WIPED OUT, SOME OF THEM THAT WERE ENDEMIC ONLY TO THAT ISLAND, SO THEY'RE EXTINCT. THEY'RE GONE FOREVER. IT'S ALSO CAUSED MAJOR POWER OUTAGES. THEY'VE JUST PROLIFERATED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN FIND AS MANY AS 15,000 SNAKES PER SQUARE MILE.

VAL>> THERE'S NO GETTING RID OF THEM ONCE THEY --

JESS>> -- NO NATURAL PREDATOR?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> NO NATURAL PREDATOR. THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM OF INTRODUCED SPECIES. THE ISLANDS HAVE SORT OF EVOLVED IN THIS BALANCE AND, BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SNAKE, THERE WERE NO REPTILES ON GUAM, SO IT WAS SERIOUS DAMAGE.

JESS>> LONG AGO, WE LEARNED THAT EVEN THE INTRODUCTION OF SUCH A BENIGN SPECIES AS RABBITS COULD DECIMATE SOME AREAS.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, THAT'S VERY TRUE.

VAL>> I WAS ALSO JUST AMAZED TO LEARN -- THIS IS FROM YOUR INFORMATION HERE -- THAT SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF ALL THE RECENT ANIMALS EXTINCTIONS, TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS, OCCURRED ON ISLANDS. THAT'S AMAZING.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YEAH, IT IS TRULY AMAZING. BUT, AGAIN, BECAUSE THESE ISLANDS ARE SO ISOLATED, THEY'VE JUST DEVELOPED AND EVOLVED WITH THIS UNIQUE SET OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT YOU FIND NOWHERE ELSE.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE PART OF THE EXHIBIT.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> OH, GREAT.

VAL>> SO WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT -- YOU'RE AN AQUARIUM, BUT ACTUALLY YOU'RE EXPOSING US TO SOME TERRESTRIAL CREATURES AS WELL.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES. THIS IS A DUSKY PADEMELON. AREN'T THEY CUTE? THEY BELONG TO THE SAME FAMILY AS KANGAROOS AND WALLABIES.

VAL>> THAT'S A CUTE NAME. PADEMELON?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> PADEMELON, DUSKY PADEMELON. OH, THIS IS A BINTURONG. NOW THIS ANIMAL REMINDS ME OF A CROSS BETWEEN A CAT AND A SMALL BEAR. IT HAS A LONG TAIL LIKE A CAT AND WHISKERS LIKE A CAT --

VAL>> -- OBVIOUSLY, IT'S FRIENDLY WITH HUMANS.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YEAH, IT SORT OF LUMBERS ABOUT LIKE A BEAR AND IT'S FOUND IN THE LOWLAND FORESTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA AND MALAYSIA.

JESS>> IS CAPTIVE BREEDING THE ANSWER TO PROTECTING THESE SPECIES?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> SOME CAPTIVE BREEDING IS GOOD, BUT AGAIN, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WHAT IS WORSE, YOU KNOW, SO WE REALLY HAVE TO --

VAL>> -- OH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> NOW THIS IS A PREVOST'S SQUIRREL. THIS IS A THREATENED ANIMAL. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S JUST AMAZINGLY COLORED WITH THIS RUST AND BLACK ON THE BOTTOM.

VAL>> YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WALKED THROUGH SOME PAINT (LAUGHTER).

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> (LAUGHTER) YEAH, IT DOES, IT DOES.

VAL>> NOW THERE ACTUALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO HELP PROTECT THESE ENDANGERED SPECIES. IN PARTICULAR, I THINK YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF AN ADOPTION PROGRAM FOR THE PADEMELON, THE FIRST ANIMAL WE SAW?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES. WE HAVE AN "ADOPT AN ANIMAL" PROGRAM. BASICALLY, YOU CAN ADOPT ANYTHING FROM A SEA DRAGON TO A SEA OTTER, BUT THIS SUMMER ONLY, BECAUSE OF "PACIFIC ISLAND SUMMER", YOU CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP FEED AND HOUSE THE ANIMAL BY ADOPTING A DUSKY PADEMELON.

JESS>> SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ADOPT THEM AND TAKE THEM HOME.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> (LAUGHTER) OH, NO, NO, NO. BUT YOU CAN COME VISIT THEM (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> SO THE AQUARIUM HAS BOTH THESE ANIMALS AS WELL AS SEA LIFE?

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, WE DO. WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF SEA LIFE. IN FACT, AS PART OF OUR INVASIVE SPECIES EXHIBIT, WE DO HAVE THE BROWN TREE SNAKE WHICH I JUST DESCRIBED AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME UPSIDE-DOWN JELLIES THAT WERE INTRODUCED ACCIDENTALLY TO HAWAII. NOW THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DON'T KNOW WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SPECIES AND THE EFFECTS OF IT.

VAL>> WE ALSO SHOULD MENTION THAT THERE IS A WHOLE CULTURAL FESTIVAL THAT'S OCCURRING AROUND THIS. THERE ARE LUAUS AND MUSIC AND CRAFTS AND YOU'VE JUST REALLY TURNED THIS INTO A MULTI-EVENT EXHIBITION.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> YES, YES. I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF ISLANDS SCATTERED ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, CULTURES, TRADITIONS, AND THEY'RE QUICKLY BEING LOST AS WELL. "ISLAND SUMMER" IS PART OF THE CELEBRATION OF THESE UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTS.

VAL>> SANDY TRAUTWEIN WITH THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC IN LONG BEACH, SO SORRY TO HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

SANDY TRAUTWEIN>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> AND FOR MORE DETAILS ON "PACIFIC ISLAND SUMMER" EXHIBIT, YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN (562-590-3100)OR VISIT THE AQUARIUM'S WEBSITE AT WWW.AQUARIUMOFPACIFIC.ORG. IF YOU MISSED THAT, JUST DROP US A LINE AND WE'LL PASS ALONG THE INFORMATION.

VAL>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.

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