blog post Video: A Conversation with Chief Justice of California Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye By Mary Severance Dec 19, 2019 California's chief justice talks with PPIC's Mark Baldassare about the various challenges and opportunities facing the court system today.
Report Pretrial Risk Assessment in California By Heather Harris, Justin Goss, Alexandria Gumbs Dec 9, 2019 Pretrial risk assessment can help counties decide whether arrestees should stay in the community or be detained while their cases are pending. But counties may face challenges in ensuring their risk assessment systems promote accuracy and equity.
blog post Can Pretrial Decisions Be Improved? By Heather Harris, Justin Goss Mar 27, 2019 California is considering the end of cash bail, placing even greater importance on the use—and improvement—of pretrial risk assessment tools.
blog post Pretrial Risk and Cash Bail By Justin Goss Feb 20, 2018 Reforming the bail system could save funds and free up scarce jail beds—even while maintaining public safety.
Report Pretrial Release in California By Sonya Tafoya, Mia Bird, Ryken Grattet, Viet Nguyen May 3, 2017 About 42% of individuals booked on misdemeanors or felonies are released pretrial. For less serious offenses, the most common form of release is cite and release; for more serious offenses, bail is predominant. Our analysis suggests there is room to improve California's pretrial system in a way that could lower incarceration without affecting public safety. This research was supported with funding from the National Institute of Justice.
blog post Testimony: Bail and Pretrial Detention By Sonya Tafoya Feb 19, 2016 California’s median bail amount is five times higher than the rest of the nation. Its large urban counties are also more likely than similar counties in the US to hold unsentenced defendants in jail pending trial.
Report Pretrial Detention and Jail Capacity in California By Sonya Tafoya Jul 22, 2015 California’s persistently overcrowded jails are facing additional challenges now that public safety realignment has shifted many lower-level offenders from state prisons to county supervision. Jail capacity challenges are prompting a reconsideration of California’s heavy reliance on holding unsentenced defendants in jail pending trial—known as pretrial detention. The legal rationale for pretrial detention is to ensure court appearances and preserve public safety. But California’s high rates of pretrial detention have not been associated with lower rates of failure to appear or lower levels of felony rearrests. This report concludes that pretrial services programs—if properly implemented and embraced by the courts, probation, and the jails—could address jail overcrowding and improve the efficiency, equitability, and transparency of pretrial release decision making.