press release Decline in Statewide Arrest Rate Driven by Lower Crime Rates and Criminal Justice Reforms Sep 9, 2019
Report New Insights into California Arrests: Trends, Disparities, and County Differences By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Justin Goss, Joseph Hayes Dec 3, 2018 Over the past few decades, arrests have declined dramatically—especially for misdemeanors. Though racial disparities have narrowed, the gap between African Americans and whites remains substantial. In 2016, the arrest rate for African Americans was three times the white arrest rate.
Report The Impact of Proposition 47 on Crime and Recidivism By Mia Bird, Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Steven Raphael Jun 12, 2018 Passed by voters in November 2014, Proposition 47 brought broad and significant changes to California’s criminal justice system. Undertaken in the wake of public safety realignment in 2011, Proposition 47 reduced the penalties for certain lower-level drug and property offenses and represented a further step in prioritizing prison and jail space for higher-level offenders.
Fact Sheet Felony Arrests in California By Magnus Lofstrom, Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin Apr 14, 2020 After Prop 47, the share of California felony arrests fell. In this fact sheet we review the most common arrests, for violent offenses and property crimes, and discuss the disproportionate arrest rate of African Americans—who are more likely to be released without charges. Data also shows higher arrest rates in less populous areas and greater racial discrepancies in dense areas.
Report Are Younger Generations Committing Less Crime? By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar Sep 27, 2023 Among Californians born in 1993 and later, criminal offending has fallen 20 to 25 percent compared to previous generations. This shift in longstanding trends is a driving factor behind the overall decline in crime over the last decades and has several broader implications for the criminal justice system.
blog post California’s Arrest Rate Reaches a 50-Year Low By Joseph Hayes, Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Jul 20, 2016 California’s felony arrest rate dropped dramatically in 2015 after the passage of Proposition 47. Crime rates went up.
blog post Video: Key Factors in Arrest Trends and Differences in California’s Counties By Mary Severance Sep 30, 2019 At an event in Sacramento, researcher Brandon Martin and an expert panel discuss a new PPIC report on arrests in California and how the findings might guide state and local policy.
blog post Toward Understanding Racial Disparities in Arrests By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Dec 4, 2018 The number of arrests made in California per year has dropped dramatically since its peak in 1990, but African Americans continue to be significantly overrepresented among those arrested. New work by PPIC tracks these changes.
blog post Crime Rates Stable Overall, But Some Counties See Big Changes By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Sep 25, 2017 Corrections reforms in California have not resulted in a broad surge in crime. But the statewide numbers mask substantial differences across counties.
