blog post New Bail Ruling Could Affect Tens of Thousands of Californians By Vicki Hsieh, Heather Harris Apr 13, 2021 A recent California Supreme Court ruling forbids keeping arrestees in jail because they cannot afford to pay bail. What are the potential implications for the state’s criminal justice system?
blog post California’s Prison Population Drops Sharply, but Overcrowding Still Threatens Prisoner Health By Heather Harris Mar 2, 2021 The state’s prison population declined by more than 20% in 2020 as authorities took steps to address the COVID-19 pandemic. But some California prisons are still well above capacity, posing potential health risks for prisoners and prison workers.
Report California’s Future: Criminal Justice By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Jan 15, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated California’s recent efforts to reduce incarceration. Along with widespread protest after the killing of George Floyd, the pandemic has intensified discussions about policing reforms.
blog post What Lessons Can Be Learned from Project Roomkey? By Shannon McConville Dec 4, 2020 Project Roomkey has provided emergency housing to more than 22,000 people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic. Examining its impact, including the wide variation across counties, can provide lessons for how California tackles homelessness over the long term.
blog post What Can California Prisons Do When Wildfires Close In? By Heather Harris, Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes Nov 13, 2020 Two in three prisons across the state are near areas of high fire risk. Especially during the pandemic, safely evacuating prisoners and prison workers in the event of a wildfire can pose challenges.
blog post Rising Jail Populations Mean Rising COVID-19 Infections By Heather Harris Oct 19, 2020 Populations in California’s county jails are on the rebound, which could put people in jails and in surrounding communities at increased COVID-19 risk.
blog post Pretrial Reform in California By Heather Harris, Magnus Lofstrom Aug 26, 2020 New PPIC research examines a proposed criminal justice reform that would end money bail and replace it with a new process of determining pretrial release.
Report Reforming Pretrial Justice in California By Heather Harris, Magnus Lofstrom Aug 19, 2020 This November, Californians will vote on a significant shift in pretrial processes in the state.
blog post California’s Incarcerated Population Plunges to New Low during COVID-19 By Heather Harris, Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes Aug 19, 2020 The number of people in California’s prisons and jails has declined substantially since February. Still, most state prisons remain overcrowded, and many counties have seen recent increases in jail populations.
blog post Addressing the Outbreak in San Quentin: Lessons from 1918 By Heather Harris Jul 16, 2020 Outbreaks in California prisons during the Spanish flu epidemic could inform how to address the current COVID-19 spread in San Quentin.
