blog post Crime Trends in Context By Magnus Lofstrom Jun 30, 2022 At a town hall held by Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, PPIC’s Magnus Lofstrom discussed what research has found about the consequences of key criminal justice reforms and the pattern of long-term crime trends in California and Contra Costa County.
Report The Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education By Niu Gao, Kathy DiRanna, Maria T. Chang Fay Jun 21, 2022 COVID-19 school shutdowns were especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts. But as California schools recover from the pandemic, state policymakers can take steps to promote equitable investments in science literacy.
blog post Californians Worry over Mass Shootings, Favor Stricter Gun Laws By Rachel Lawler May 26, 2022 At least half of Californians have been concerned in recent years about a mass shooting in their area, and a majority of adults and likely voters favor stricter laws covering the sale of guns.
Report Understanding the Effects of School Funding By Julien Lafortune May 18, 2022 Funding for California’s K–12 public schools has reached record highs, but gaps in student outcomes remain. Understanding the benefits of additional funds, and how to distribute those funds, are key concerns for policymakers. This report offers insights from a robust body of research on the extent to which higher spending improves outcomes.
blog post Fewer Domestic Violence Calls, but More Incidents Could Be Deadly By Heather Harris Apr 12, 2022 Domestic violence calls to police were close to historic lows in 2020, but more of these calls involved firearms than in any year since 2001—a sign that victims may be at a higher risk of serious injury or death.
blog post Two Years of Wide Variation in Crime Trends By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Mar 21, 2022 Increases in crime during the first year and a half of the pandemic—particularly in homicide and aggravated assault—have been troubling, but most crime numbers are now relatively close to the low levels seen over the last decade.
blog post Historic Law Aims to Improve Police Accountability and Transparency By Deepak Premkumar, Shannon McConville Feb 25, 2022 A new California law bars police officers who commit serious misconduct from serving in any of the state’s law enforcement agencies and also aims to make data on misconduct more accessible.
event Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government Feb 3, 2022 In our February survey, PPIC examines Californians’ attitudes around COVID-19, their personal finances, and the state’s economic situation. The survey also explores approval ratings for Governor Newsom and President Biden along with sentiment about the state of the state, the state of the nation, and the state of democracy. Survey analyst Deja Thomas presents key findings and discusses takeaways with associate survey director Dean Bonner.
blog post New Law Raises Standards for Police Officers By Shannon McConville, Deepak Premkumar Jan 26, 2022 A new state law raises the minimum age for law enforcement—from 18 to 21—and requires California’s community college system to create a new policing degree program. How might these changes affect the law enforcement workforce?
blog post After Decreases in 2020, Both Property and Violent Crimes Are Up in 2021 By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Dec 14, 2021 Preliminary data from four major California cities—Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco—show that property and violent crime numbers have increased and are now similar to pre-pandemic levels.
