Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Lauren Mora, Deja Thomas Sep 18, 2024 Key findings of the survey include: Seven in ten likely voters favor Proposition 36, which would increase penalties for some theft and drug crimes. Six in ten likely voters would vote for Harris/Walz if the presidential election were held today, while 29% would vote for Trump/Vance. Democrats lead in likely voter preferences for US House candidates, and 52% of likely voters are more enthusiastic than usual about voting in this year’s congressional races.
Fact Sheet College Completion in California By Cesar Alesi Perez, Selina Gomez Sep 16, 2024 Despite recent progress, about half of California freshmen do not finish college in four years. Meeting the state’s goal of improving college degree attainment will require boosting graduation rates and shortening time to degree.
blog post How Has California’s K–12 Education Landscape Changed over the Past Thirty Years? By Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune, Iwunze Ugo Sep 13, 2024 As part of an ongoing series commemorating PPIC's 30th anniversary, researchers Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune, and Iwunze Ugo reflect on the major developments that have shaped K–12 education over the past three decades as well as key challenges that lie ahead.
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.
