blog post Tackling Cold-water Droughts in a Changing Climate By Jeffrey Mount, Michael Dettinger Sep 16, 2024 Drought comes in many forms in California, but one common type of drought isn’t receiving enough attention: the cold-water drought. Our senior fellow Jeffrey Mount and researcher Mike Dettinger explain what a cold-water drought is—and why it matters so much.
Fact Sheet California’s Prison Population By Heather Harris, Sean Cremin Sep 12, 2024 After falling sharply in the first year of the pandemic, California’s prison population is now at a 30-year low. Meanwhile, the average annual cost of imprisoning a person has risen almost 50% since 2019. Most people in California prisons have been convicted of violent crimes; some racial groups are imprisoned at disproportionate rates.
Report Crime after Proposition 47 and the Pandemic By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Sep 11, 2024 After some drug and property felonies were reclassified as misdemeanors under Proposition 47, incarceration fell—as did arrests for these crimes. But Prop 47 may not be the most important change to California criminal justice in recent years; pandemic interventions also had lasting effects. A new report examines the impact of both on incarceration, enforcement, and crime.
Report Learning from CalFresh Pandemic Boosts By Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon, Caroline Danielson Aug 26, 2024 Emergency allotments increased CalFresh benefits during the pandemic, although the lowest-income households did not see an initial boost. Examining how this pandemic aid affected household resources, work decisions, and participant retention can offer insights into crafting a CalFresh response for the next economic downturn—and improving the program in the near term.
blog post California’s Workforce Is Diverse, but Many Occupations Are Not By Tess Thorman, Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn Aug 20, 2024 Many occupations in California are predominantly filled by people from a particular demographic group. We examine the types of jobs with the greatest occupational segregation and what this means for economic advancement in our state.
Report Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley By Hans Johnson, Olga Rodriguez, Cesar Alesi Perez, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Aug 14, 2024 California’s San Joaquin Valley has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state. Yet with its youthful, diverse, growing population; expanding economy; and robust regional networks, dramatic improvements are possible. A new report details how institutions, educators, and policymakers can build on current college-going pathways.
blog post Video: California School Districts and the Emergency Connectivity Fund By Chansonette Buck Jul 18, 2024 PPIC researcher Joseph Hayes presents new findings on the role of federal pandemic funds in helping close California's digital divide and discusses prospects for sustaining momentum now that this funding has ended.
blog post Mass Shootings in California By Heather Harris Jul 16, 2024 The number of mass shootings in California has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, with about one mass shooting per week over the past two years. However, since 2019 Los Angeles County—by far the state's most populous—has experienced dramatic highs and lows in the number of mass shootings.
