blog post How Is California Spending the Water Bond? By Ellen Hanak, Jelena Jezdimirovic Jun 16, 2016 California voters passed a $7.5 billion water bond almost two years ago. How is the state spending these funds?
blog post Proposition 47 and Crime By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Oct 28, 2015 Reports of increases in violent crime in some areas have raised concerns. But it would be premature to blame Proposition 47.
Report Pretrial Detention and Jail Capacity in California By Sonya Tafoya Jul 22, 2015 California’s persistently overcrowded jails are facing additional challenges now that public safety realignment has shifted many lower-level offenders from state prisons to county supervision. Jail capacity challenges are prompting a reconsideration of California’s heavy reliance on holding unsentenced defendants in jail pending trial—known as pretrial detention. The legal rationale for pretrial detention is to ensure court appearances and preserve public safety. But California’s high rates of pretrial detention have not been associated with lower rates of failure to appear or lower levels of felony rearrests. This report concludes that pretrial services programs—if properly implemented and embraced by the courts, probation, and the jails—could address jail overcrowding and improve the efficiency, equitability, and transparency of pretrial release decision making.
blog post New Era for Initiatives? By Mark Baldassare Nov 12, 2014 The drop-off in state propositions and citizens’ initiatives—which have often captured media attention and voter interest in the past—may mark the beginning of a trend with profound implications for voter engagement and state policymaking.
