Report California’s Historic Corrections Reforms By Magnus Lofstrom, Mia Bird, Brandon Martin Sep 27, 2016 California has dramatically lowered incarceration—by about 55,000 inmates since 2006—with no broad increase in crime. But recidivism rates remain high and corrections spending continues to rise.
California Counts, Report Crime, Corrections, and California: What Does Immigration Have to Do with It? By Kristin Butcher, Anne Piehl Feb 25, 2008 Immigrants are far less likely than the average U.S. native to commit crime in California, according to this issue of California Counts. For example, among men ages 18-40 – the age group most likely to commit crime – the U.S.-born are 10 times more likely than the foreign-born to be in jail or prison. Even among noncitizen men from Mexico ages 18-40 – a group disproportionately likely to have entered the United States illegally – the authors find very low rates of institutionalization. Such findings suggest that longstanding fears of immigration as a threat to public safety are unjustified.
Report Corrections Realignment: One Year Later By Dean Misczynski Aug 30, 2012 In 2011, California began a vast effort to change its corrections system. Key responsibilities have shifted from the state to the counties, including the incarceration of low-level felons and supervision of released prisoners. How have these changes affected California so far? This report examines a range of issues, from capacity pressures to probation arrangements to crime rates.
blog post Sentence Enhancements: Next Target of Corrections Reform? By Ryken Grattet Sep 27, 2017 California has many sentence enhancements—such as Three Strikes—which increase the usual punishment for an offense. A bill on the governor’s desk would repeal one of them.
Report Rethinking the State-Local Relationship: Corrections By Dean Misczynski Aug 24, 2011 California is pursuing historic changes to its corrections system. Key responsibilities will soon shift from the state to the counties. This report provides an overview of the changes, examines the funding issues, and considers what this shift in responsibility will mean for both state and county government. This report is part of a PPIC series on rethinking the state-local relationship. The series includes: An Overview of Realignment Child Welfare Services K-12 Education Local Economic Development This work is supported by funding from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and by contributions of unrestricted support to PPIC's Donor Circle.
Report Corrections Realignment and Data Collection in California By Sonya Tafoya, Mia Bird, Ryken Grattet Apr 14, 2014 California’s corrections realignment created an opportunity to improve public safety, conserve public resources, and reduce recidivism. To realize these goals, counties need better and more accessible data to evaluate which corrections strategies are most effective.
blog post Testimony: A Data-Driven Approach to Corrections By Mia Bird Apr 23, 2014 California has effectively created 58 county policy laboratories and with them, the opportunity to use variation in county approaches to identify best practices that can be shared throughout the state and nationwide.
blog post Evaluating Corrections Reforms By Joseph Hayes, Sonya Tafoya Jun 12, 2014 Three years into public safety realignment, we know little about which programs and services are most effective at reducing recidivism. This is not the first time California has made a major corrections policy change without the tools to evaluate it.
Report Evaluating the Effects of California’s Corrections Realignment on Public Safety By Steven Raphael, Magnus Lofstrom, Joan Petersilia Aug 30, 2012 California has launched ambitious plans to change its corrections system. If all goes well, the state will become an important example of how to reduce the prison population and maintain public safety. This report provides guidelines on how to monitor the effects of realignment in such areas as recidivism, sentencing, and costs.
