Respect for Marriage Act Would Help Same-Sex Couples
Same-sex couples who legally married in California before Prop. 8 passed are denied a wide range of federal benefits by the Defense of Marriage Act. Now, Senator Dianne Feinstein has introduced the Respect for Marriage Act, which would change that.
Can Prison Hunger Strikers Refuse Medical Treatment?
Some California prison inmates who've been on a hunger strike since the beginning of the month are starting to show signs of starvation. But medical ethicists say the prisoners are entitled to refuse treatment, including nutrition. (After this program aired, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced that the strike at Pelican Bay State Prison has ended.)
Strike Highlights Conditions in Isolation Units
Even before California inmates went on a hunger strike, state officials have vigorously defended their use of windowless isolation units, which are at the center of the protest. But the state's own prison experts have called for changes in that practice.