blog post Video: The Benefits of Headwater Forest Management By Lori Pottinger May 4, 2020 California’s headwater forests are increasingly vulnerable to major wildfires and droughts that threaten the many benefits they provide. An expert panel discussed how improved management can reduce risks of major wildfires and bring other benefits.
blog post What’s Next for California’s Public Pensions? By Patrick Murphy, Radhika Mehlotra Mar 13, 2019 A recent California Supreme Court ruling upheld a major pension reform law from 2013, but how much flexibility will policymakers have in modifying pension agreements?
blog post What Motivates People to Use Less Water? By Lori Pottinger Sep 24, 2018 During droughts, households can be inundated by messages to use less water. We talked to Katrina Jessoe about what motivates people to conserve.
blog post Video: The Impact of Proposition 47 on Crime and Recidivism By Mary Severance Jun 25, 2018 In Sacramento last week, PPIC researchers and a panel of state and local experts discussed the impact of Prop 47—California's landmark law that reduced penalties for some lower-level crimes.
blog post World Water Day through a California Lens By Caitrin Chappelle Mar 22, 2018 This year’s World Water Day calls for addressing water challenges with nature-based solutions.
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.
blog post A Water Sector Energy Hog By Alvar Escriva-Bou Dec 20, 2016 When we use water, we’re also using energy—sometimes a lot. Where does it all go, and how can we best save both water and energy?
blog post Troubled Waters for California Farmers By Lori Pottinger May 17, 2016 The effect of water uncertainties on farming—an expert interview with Dave Puglia of Western Growers.
blog post “Water 101” Podcast Covers Challenges, Solutions By Lori Pottinger May 20, 2015 What do Californians need to know about our water system to grasp the big management challenges we face? Listen to this free podcast for a crash course by Jeff Mount.
Report Alternatives to Incarceration in California By Ryken Grattet, Brandon Martin Apr 17, 2015 Three-plus years after implementing a major realignment of its public safety systems, California continues to face pressure to reduce both its prison and jail populations. California relied on some alternatives to custody-based punishment before realignment but it has been expanding its use of others. Current research on the effects of incarceration and its alternatives offers a general endorsement of the idea that increasing reliance on community-based alternatives is not likely to result in large increases in crime and recidivism. The evidence suggests that the effectiveness of both incarceration and community-based supervision depends on a number of factors, including the rate of incarceration in a given community, the offender characteristics, and the nature of the response to violations during and after supervision. Finally, intensive data collection on county implementation efforts can help the state identify the community-based strategies that produce the best outcomes.
