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Criminal Justice

Evaluating policy reforms, prison programs, policing, and crime

Jun 25
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Virtual Event

Employment Before, During, and After Prison in California

Upcoming June 25, 2026 · 11:00 am - 11:30 am

Policymakers have long sought to promote employment among released prisoners through policies and programs that reduce incarceration and broaden access to the labor market. PPIC researcher Heather Harris will discuss key findings from a report that provides new information about the employment histories of people who were released from California prisons between 2015 and 2019.

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Featured Blog Post · August 7, 2025

Mass Shootings in California

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Fact Cards

Homicides in California have fallen to a 40-year low.
California’s arrest rate rose for the first time in 20 years.
California’s prison population is the lowest in over thirty years.
Police stop and search Black and Latino residents more often than white residents.
California reported 28 mass shootings in 2025, over a third fewer than the prior year.
Those with mental health needs in California’s jail population rose to over 50%.
In officer reports, about 60% of deaths from use of force involve a person with a behavioral health condition.