Report Key Factors in Arrest Trends and Differences in California’s Counties By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Justin Goss, Joseph Hayes Sep 9, 2019 Arrests in California have declined in the last few decades—driven by lower crime rates and criminal justice reforms. While rural, poorer counties tend to have higher overall arrest rates, affluent counties often see larger racial disparities in arrests.
blog post How Often Are Firearms Confiscated During Traffic Stops? By Deepak Premkumar, Andrew Skelton, Magnus Lofstrom Feb 16, 2023 As more localities consider reforms intended to reduce police stops for minor traffic violations, it is important to evaluate how instrumental these stops are in seizing illicit firearms. We look at the state’s eight largest police departments and find significant variation in how often searches during traffic stops result in firearms being confiscated.
blog post How Will COVID-19 Affect Arrests in California? By Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes Apr 16, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic is affecting various law enforcement practices, even as arrest rates in the state are at their lowest in decades.
blog post Fewer Domestic Violence Calls, but More Incidents Could Be Deadly By Heather Harris Apr 12, 2022 Domestic violence calls to police were close to historic lows in 2020, but more of these calls involved firearms than in any year since 2001—a sign that victims may be at a higher risk of serious injury or death.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Racial Disparities in Law Enforcement Stops By Magnus Lofstrom, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar Oct 13, 2021 In an effort to directly confront concerns over racial inequities in criminal justice, California passed the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) in 2015. RIPA data on law enforcement stops reveal that Black Californians have notably different experiences during stops than white Californians.
blog post California’s Violent Crime Rate Is Diverging from the National Trend By Magnus Lofstrom Nov 1, 2023 In the decade preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, California's violent crime rate roughly mirrored the nationwide trend. But as of 2022, California's violent crime rate is nearly one-third higher than the US rate, a divergence driven largely by aggravated assaults.
blog post Racial Disparities in California Law Enforcement Stops By Magnus Lofstrom, Alexandria Gumbs, Brandon Martin Dec 3, 2020 According to the latest data for California’s largest law enforcement agencies, the reasons for officer stops vary by agency type and across racial groups.
blog post Californians Fear Being a Victim of Crime, and Some Have Been Victims of Racial Profiling By Deja Thomas Mar 14, 2023 A recent PPIC Statewide Survey finds that nearly two in three Californians worry that they or a family member will be a victim of crime. Meanwhile, one in three say they or someone they know have been victims of racial profiling, with Black Californians more likely than other groups to say this.
event Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops Oct 13, 2022 Traffic stops are a key factor in racial disparities in law enforcement encounters. PPIC researcher Magnus Lofstrom will present new findings on how disparities in traffic stops differ across agency type, type of traffic violation, and time of day. Then a panel of state and local experts will discuss the challenges of traffic enforcement and alternative approaches that could potentially improve officer and civilian safety while reducing racial inequities.
