“I can see money elsewhere needed for homeless issues”

Excerpt from an interview with Charles, a resident in the neighborhood surrounding the Hall of Justice in San Jose, CA. Summer 2021.

Interviewer: […] The state of California spends about $4 billion dollars every year on the courts throughout the state, which pays for the salaries of prosecutors, judges, and public defenders and also various programs for civil and criminal cases. And I'm wondering, do you think that the state should spend more or less money on the courts?

Charles: [sigh] Hmm. My concern has always been -- well, I've seen my father, and him in business and then becoming self-employed. Also, I've worked for a nonprofit, I've worked for retail. And so, could you do the same thing more efficiently, is always something that's looked at. And it -- from outward, it just seems like, somehow, the system could be made more efficient to where we spend the same amount, but yet, I don't know -- see, I don't know what the endgame is. Is it more cases...more cases put through the system? So, we, you know, so we get more for our money from the people's salaries and, you know, buildings and everything. It all becomes -- at some point in time, when you look at things economically, that's what it becomes to. Is the building being used most efficiently? Do we need to, you know, scrap this one and get a new building because it doesn't have elevators or, you know, whatever? And it...it would be nice to say I would like to spend less money because I can see money elsewhere needed for like homeless issues and stuff like that. So, I would -- I guess, I would say I would like less money spent, but I would like the money that is presently being spent should be used more effectively or efficiently.