blog post Governor’s Funding Plan for Climate, Drought By Caitrin Chappelle, Jelena Jezdimirovic Jan 24, 2017 A summary of key proposals in the governor’s proposed budget that reaffirm the state’s commitment to boosting drought resiliency and battling climate change.
Report Public Safety Realignment: Impacts So Far By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Sep 28, 2015 Prompted by a federal court order to reduce prison overcrowding, California’s 2011 historic public safety realignment shifted many correctional responsibilities for lower-level felons from the state to counties. The reform was premised on the idea that locals can do a better job, and it was hoped that incarceration rates and corrections costs would fall. At the same time, critics predicted crime would rise. Four years since its implementation, realignment has made several important impacts: Realignment significantly reduced the prison population, but the state did not reach the court-mandated population target until after the passage of Proposition 47 in November 2014, which reduced penalties for many property and drug offenses. The reform challenged county jails and probation departments by making them responsible for a greater number of offenders with a broader range of backgrounds and needs. The county jail population did not rise nearly as much as the prison population fell, reducing the total number of people incarcerated in California. Realignment did not increase violent crime, but auto thefts rose. Research so far shows no dramatic change in recidivism rates. State corrections spending remains high, but there is reason to believe expenditures could drop in the future. Realignment has largely been successful, but the state and county correctional systems face significant challenges. The state needs to regain control of prison medical care, which is now in the hands of a federal receiver. And the state and counties together must make progress in reducing stubbornly high recidivism rates.
Fact Sheet The State-Local Fiscal Relationship By Dean Misczynski, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Oct 27, 2011
press release Special Survey Of The Central Valley: Bad Air Days! Air Quality, Traffic, Other Growing Pains Hit Fast-Changing Central Valley Jun 27, 2006
press release Special Survey Of Los Angeles County: Today’s Worries Darken Future Outlook In L.A. Mar 16, 2005
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey of Los Angeles By Mark Baldassare Mar 16, 2005 Some findings of the current survey Los Angeles residents are stunningly unhappy with some key indicators of quality of life: Large majorities say traffic congestion on freeways and major roads (74%) and the availability of affordable housing (64%) are big problems in the county today, up markedly from just two years ago (67% traffic, 54%affordable housing). Assessments of police protection and the quality of parks, beaches, and recreation facilities have fallen considerably from the ratings given only one year ago. In addition, only one-third of county residents give excellent or good ratings to the condition of streets and roads (32% today, 51% in 2004) and public schools (36% today, 43% in 2004). County residents are more likely to believe that the county will be a worse place to live in twenty years (37%) than a better place (24%). Only 28% of the likely voters in the city of Los Angeles say that they trust their city government to do what is right just about always or most of the time. Crime and gangs remain the top issue concerning county residents (21%), followed by education (17%), and traffic (10%). One-third of county residents hope to leave Los Angeles County in the next five years. This survey – the third in an annual series of PPIC surveys of Los Angeles County – is a special edition of the PPIC Statewide Survey, which periodically includes regional and special-theme surveys. The intent of this survey is to provide an objective, in-depth profile of the public opinions, policy preferences, and economic, social, and political trends in Los Angeles County – the most populous county in the nation.
