Report Reforming Pretrial Justice in California By Heather Harris, Magnus Lofstrom Aug 19, 2020 This November, Californians will vote on a significant shift in pretrial processes in the state.
blog post California’s Incarcerated Population Plunges to New Low during COVID-19 By Heather Harris, Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes Aug 19, 2020 The number of people in California’s prisons and jails has declined substantially since February. Still, most state prisons remain overcrowded, and many counties have seen recent increases in jail populations.
blog post Video: Proposition 47 and Racial Disparities in California By Mary Severance Jul 7, 2020 PPIC’s Brandon Martin presents new research on how Prop 47 has narrowed racial inequities in criminal justice outcomes—though much work remains. An expert panel discusses how to build on this and other reforms.
press release Prop 47 Has Reduced Racial Disparities in Arrests and Bookings in California, but Serious Inequities Remain Jun 23, 2020
Report Proposition 47’s Impact on Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice Outcomes By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Steven Raphael Jun 23, 2020 Proposition 47, which reclassified a number of drug and property offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, has led to a marked decrease in racial disparities in arrests and bookings in California. But rates remain significantly higher for African Americans than for other groups.
blog post Progress under Prop 47 but Racial Disparities Persist in California Arrests By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Jun 4, 2020 A key voter-approved reform has decreased arrests disparities between African Americans and whites, but a significant and pervasive divide remains.
blog post What COVID-19 Budget Cuts Mean for Public Safety Spending By Brandon Martin, Magnus Lofstrom May 22, 2020 The sharp decline in state revenues means county sheriff and probation departments will have less funding to provide supervision and programming for certain individuals who are in jail or on probation.
blog post Jail Bookings Down Significantly during COVID-19 By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin May 6, 2020 California’s “zero-bail” emergency measure, along with decreased crime and changes in local law enforcement practices, appear to have substantially reduced the number of people sent to jail during the pandemic.
blog post How Will COVID-19 Affect Arrests in California? By Alexandria Gumbs, Joseph Hayes Apr 16, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic is affecting various law enforcement practices, even as arrest rates in the state are at their lowest in decades.
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.
