blog post Violent Crimes Involving Guns Drive Recent Rise in Crime By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Oct 19, 2022 While overall violent crime in California has risen slightly during the pandemic, homicides by firearms and aggravated assaults involving a gun have both surged since 2019.
At Issue, Report Reforming California’s Initiative Process By Mark Baldassare Oct 8, 2013 Californians are highly supportive of the initiative process but see room for improvement. Three steps to improve the process—connecting the legislative and initiative processes, increasing disclosure of initiative funders, and reengaging citizens in the initiative process—reflect Californians’ critiques and their desire to continue making laws at the ballot box. These reforms could have far-reaching consequences, with considerable promise for increasing citizen engagement, encouraging voter participation, and building trust in state government. This research was supported with funding from the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
blog post After Decreases in 2020, Both Property and Violent Crimes Are Up in 2021 By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Dec 14, 2021 Preliminary data from four major California cities—Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco—show that property and violent crime numbers have increased and are now similar to pre-pandemic levels.
blog post Recent State Crime Trends Mostly Mirror the Nation By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Oct 8, 2021 Newly released FBI data show that trends in California’s crime rate last year—including a large and troubling jump in homicides—mostly mirrored national trends, but with some key differences.
blog post Video: Pandemic Policymaking and Changed Outcomes in Criminal Courts By Stephanie Barton Apr 28, 2023 PPIC researcher Heather Harris discusses a new report on the effects of policies put in place by California courts to address pandemic conditions, with a focus on remote hearings.
blog post COVID-19 and Crime in Major California Cities By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Apr 7, 2020 As people across the state shelter in place, the overall number of reported crimes is declining in four of California’s largest cities, though there is evidence of an uptick in certain types of crime.
blog post California’s Major Cities See Increases in Homicides and Car Thefts By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Apr 27, 2021 New crime data show that four major cities—Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco—have seen an increase in homicides and car thefts, though violent and property crimes overall remain below pre-pandemic levels.
blog post PPIC Turns 30 By Tani Cantil-Sakauye Jan 18, 2024 Since its founding in 1994, PPIC has been committed to providing independent, nonpartisan research on the critical policy questions facing our state. President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye reflects on the institute's three decades of impact—and what lies ahead.
