blog post Solutions for the Delta By Caitrin Chappelle Nov 22, 2016 Decision makers need actionable science to address the many difficult challenges facing the Delta.
blog post Changing Attitudes toward Marijuana Legalization By David Kordus Oct 18, 2016 Since the 2010 election—when a measure to legalize marijuana failed—the PPIC Statewide Survey has found increased support for legalization within key groups.
blog post “Sin” Taxes on the Ballot This Fall By Patrick Murphy, Talib Jabbar Jul 25, 2016 Two "sin” taxes on the November ballot could together bring in more than $2 billion in state revenue annually.
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 Regulating Marijuana as a Crop By Patrick Murphy, Van Butsic May 9, 2016 How will legalizing marijuana affect California’s water and the environment?
blog post Video: Lessons on Marijuana Regulation By Linda Strean Apr 8, 2016 Regulators from Washington and Colorado told a Sacramento audience that California should start planning now to determine the information that would be needed to regulate recreational marijuana.
event Regulating Marijuana in California Apr 7, 2016 About the ProgramIf Californians vote to legalize recreational marijuana in November, what kind of regulatory framework would best accommodate the state's differing policy goals? And what can we learn from the experiences of Colorado and Washington, the first two states to legalize recreational marijuana? PPIC research director Patrick Murphy will provide an overview of a new report that addresses these questions, and a panel of experts will discuss the challenges of marijuana legalization. There is no charge to attend and lunch will be provided. This event has reached capacity. Please join us for the live webcast.
press release If Recreational Marijuana is Legalized, State Should Develop Tightly Controlled Market Apr 6, 2016
Report Regulating Marijuana in California By Patrick Murphy, John Carnevale Apr 6, 2016 If California legalizes recreational marijuana, the state should develop a single highly regulated marijuana market—for medical and recreational uses. Key policy goals will also need to be addressed—including limiting the illegal market, protecting public health and safety, and raising revenue for the state
Report Public Safety Realignment: Impacts So Far By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin Sep 28, 2015 Prompted by a federal court order to reduce prison overcrowding, California’s 2011 historic public safety realignment shifted many correctional responsibilities for lower-level felons from the state to counties. The reform was premised on the idea that locals can do a better job, and it was hoped that incarceration rates and corrections costs would fall. At the same time, critics predicted crime would rise. Four years since its implementation, realignment has made several important impacts: Realignment significantly reduced the prison population, but the state did not reach the court-mandated population target until after the passage of Proposition 47 in November 2014, which reduced penalties for many property and drug offenses. The reform challenged county jails and probation departments by making them responsible for a greater number of offenders with a broader range of backgrounds and needs. The county jail population did not rise nearly as much as the prison population fell, reducing the total number of people incarcerated in California. Realignment did not increase violent crime, but auto thefts rose. Research so far shows no dramatic change in recidivism rates. State corrections spending remains high, but there is reason to believe expenditures could drop in the future. Realignment has largely been successful, but the state and county correctional systems face significant challenges. The state needs to regain control of prison medical care, which is now in the hands of a federal receiver. And the state and counties together must make progress in reducing stubbornly high recidivism rates.
