blog post Video: California Prison Programs and Reentry Pathways By Stephanie Barton Jul 25, 2024 Researcher Heather Harris discusses a new report on the rehabilitative needs of people in prison, efforts by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to expand programs to address these needs, and factors that may contribute to participation.
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.
blog post Hate Crime Trends in California By Andrew Skelton, Joseph Hayes, Magnus Lofstrom May 28, 2024 Hate crimes in our state have been on the rise for almost a decade, and they spiked between 2020 and 2022—the last year for which data are currently available. In an effort to address this concerning trend, California is investing in improved hate crime reporting as well as support for affected communities.
blog post Falling Jail Populations Have Eased Overcrowding in Most County Jails By Brandon Martin, Magnus Lofstrom Feb 15, 2024 California jails have historically faced capacity issues that required counties to release people early. However, a close look at jail populations in the wake of the pandemic shows that overcrowding is now an issue in just a handful of counties.
blog post Testimony: Retail Theft in California By Magnus Lofstrom Jan 25, 2024 At a hearing of the Little Hoover Commission, PPIC policy director and senior fellow Magnus Lofstrom discussed trends in shoplifting and commercial burglary, including geographic variation across the state.
blog post Testimony: Crime Data on Retail Theft and Robberies in California By Magnus Lofstrom Jan 4, 2024 At the inaugural hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on Retail Theft, PPIC policy director and senior fellow Magnus Lofstrom discussed trends in shoplifting and other offenses, including variations across the state.
blog post 2023 Year in Review By Tani Cantil-Sakauye Dec 14, 2023 President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye reflects on how PPIC has contributed to the policy conversation this past year and highlights the importance of nonpartisan, actionable research in addressing key challenges facing our state.
blog post Video: A Conversation with Chief Justice of California Patricia Guerrero By Mary Severance Nov 3, 2023 Patricia Guerrero became California's 29th Chief Justice in January 2023, succeeding current PPIC president and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye as head of the state's judiciary. At an event in Sacramento, they discussed Chief Justice Guerrero's priorities and goals for the state's judicial branch.
blog post California’s Violent Crime Rate Is Diverging from the National Trend By Magnus Lofstrom Nov 1, 2023 In the decade preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, California's violent crime rate roughly mirrored the nationwide trend. But as of 2022, California's violent crime rate is nearly one-third higher than the US rate, a divergence driven largely by aggravated assaults.
blog post County Jails House Fewer Inmates, but Over Half Face Mental Health Issues By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Oct 25, 2023 While the number of people in California's county jails has declined markedly over the last decade, the share of inmates with mental health needs has grown to more than half of the total jail population.
