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California Counts, Report

Who’s In Prison? The Changing Demographics of Incarceration

By Amanda Bailey, Joseph Hayes

This issue of California Counts examines in detail the new demographics of California’s prisons. Since 1990, the number of prisoners in California has risen three times faster than the state's overall adult population, to almost 168,000 prisoners in 2005. Researchers also found that adults younger than 25 account for a declining segment of the prison population while the share of adults 50 and older has nearly tripled, and that the state’s San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire regions contribute disproportionately to the inmate population.

Report

Unauthorized Immigrants in California: Estimates for Counties

By Laura Hill, Hans Johnson

Unauthorized immigrants make up 7 percent of California’s total population. But little is known about exactly where they live. This report presents the first authoritative estimates of this group within the state’s regions and counties. It shows the unauthorized living in all parts of California, with Shasta County housing the smallest share and the Monterey/San Benito County region the largest.

This report was supported with funding from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Fact Sheet

Immigrants and Education in California

By Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia

Educational attainment among California’s recent immigrants has risen markedly. Immigrants now make up 31% of California workers with at least a bachelor’s degree. However, immigrants also comprise an outsized share of workers with little formal education.

Report

Anticipating Changes in Regional Demand for Nursing Homes

By Laurel Beck, Landon Gibson

California’s nursing homes provide a major source of personal and medical care for the state’s most vulnerable residents—the elderly and the disabled. By 2030 the state’s 65-and-over population will grow by 87 percent. The number of people requiring skilled nursing care could increase by 32,000, far outstripping current capacities. We find that there will be significant disparities in regional growth rates across racial/ethnic groups and in regions’ abilities to absorb higher numbers of patients. Specifically:

  • The Bay Area and the Inland Empire have the largest discrepancies between existing nursing home capacity and projected demand in 2030; Los Angeles and Northern California (excluding the Bay Area) have the smallest.
  • Regional growth rates in the 65-and-over population vary widely within racial/ethnic groups. For example, rates among Latinos range from 159 percent on the state’s Southern Border (Imperial and San Diego Counties) to 193 percent in the Inland Empire; among Asians they range from 93 percent in the Central Coast to 212 percent in Northern California (excluding the Bay Area).

In order to meet the growing and changing demands for senior care at the statewide and regional levels, policymakers will need to address ways to increase nursing home capacity. These solutions must also include recruiting and training health workers who can provide effective, culturally competent care, whether in skilled nursing facilities or home- and community-based settings.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: Labor Force Participation in California

By Julien Lafortune, Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Jenny Duan ...

California’s labor force participation is shrinking, mainly because of an aging population. But significant gaps across demographic groups are also a concern. How can California remove barriers to work, boost participation, and build a strong workforce for years to come?

Report

Counting California: Challenges for the 2020 Census

By Sarah Bohn, Eric McGhee, Lynette Ubois

California has worked hard in preparing for the census and has invested deeply to meet the high-stakes challenge of counting every resident. A House seat and the allocation of billions in federal funds are on the line.

Report

California in the New Millennium: The Changing Social and Political Landscape

By Mark Baldassare

California in the mid-21st century is going to be very different from California today. There is every reason to expect the explosive population growth of the past 20 years to continue, fueled largely by immigration. By mid-century, Latinos will become the dominant ethnic and racial group in the state. In this book, Mark Baldassare examines three of the most powerful undercurrents altering the character of California--the public's strong and increasing distrust of politicians and the legislative process, the rapidly changing racial and ethnic mix of the state's population, and the growing diversity across its major regions.

Report

How Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration Shape the California Electorate

By Jack Citrin, Benjamin Highton

Although the ethnic composition of California's population has changed dramatically over the last two decades, the voting population's profile is shifting slowly by comparison. In How Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration Shape the California Electorate, Jack Citrin and Benjamin Highton study turnout gaps across California's four largest racial and ethnic groups. They find that the relatively low turnout among Latinos and Asians, the two groups with the largest immigrant populations, can be traced to markedly different causes. Facilitating naturalization is an important step toward faster political incorporation for all immigrants, but the authors conclude that no single policy designed to boost voting is likely to work for both Latinos and Asians.

Fact Sheet

Felony Arrests in California

By Magnus Lofstrom, Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin

After Prop 47, the share of California felony arrests fell. In this fact sheet we review the most common arrests, for violent offenses and property crimes, and discuss the disproportionate arrest rate of African Americans—who are more likely to be released without charges. Data also shows higher arrest rates in less populous areas and greater racial discrepancies in dense areas.

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