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February 10, 2021 - This publication provides our analysis of the Governor's 2021-22 January budget proposals related to the support of forensic services and Department of Justice legal services for certain state agencies.
February 2, 2021 - This publication provides our analysis of the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals to provide additional General Fund support for county probation departments including a $10.3 million modification to the grant program created by Chapter 608 of 2009 (SB 678, Leno), a new one-time $50 million grant, and $12.1 million in one-time funding for supervising people released from prison due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
February 2, 2021 - This publication provides our analysis of the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals to implement various initiatives to improve correctional staff training, including $9.1 million from the General Fund to convert a former prison into a facility to provide hands-on training for staff.
February 2, 2021 - This publication provides our analysis of the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposal to support inmate meal costs with a $7.5 million General Fund augmentation as well as savings from vacant plant operations positions.
February 2, 2021 - This publication provides our analysis of the Governor’s 2021-22 January budget proposals for prison maintenance and repair, including a $50 million one-time General Fund increase to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s base budget for special repairs and deferred maintenance.
January 28, 2021 - In this report, we (1) provide an overview of the Litigation Deposit Fund (LDF), a state special fund created to receive certain litigation proceeds, (2) review the Legislature’s oversight of the LDF and the use of litigation proceeds, and (3) make recommendations to facilitate increased legislative oversight.
November 19, 2020 - In this analysis, we (1) provide an overview of the state correctional population; (2) discuss our projections of the population through 2024-25, and (3) comment on how changes in the sizes of these populations could impact state correctional costs in both the near and long term. Specifically, we estimate that the number of inmates, parolees, and wards in the state’s correctional system will significantly decline due to two main factors—operational changes that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and various policy changes recently enacted that will further reduce the size of the state correctional population in the long term. We also estimate that these population declines will substantially slow the expected growth in CDCR’s overall projected costs through 2024-25—partially through the closure of five prisons. This publication is part of our The 2021-22 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook series.
October 22, 2020 - This post provides an overview of the major judiciary and criminal justice proposals approved as part of the 2020-21 budget package. The 2020 21 budget provides $15.9 billion from the General Fund for judicial and criminal justice programs, including support for program operations and capital outlay projects. This is a decrease of $207 million, or 1.3 percent, below the revised 2019 20 spending level.
June 24, 2020 - Presented to: Committee on Revision of the Penal Code
June 12, 2020 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection Hon. Ed Chau, Chair
May 21, 2020 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Public Safety
May 8, 2020 - In this post, we discuss actions the state and federal courts have taken with respect to state prisons, parole, and juvenile facilities due to the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
May 6, 2020 - In this post, we discuss actions the judicial branch has taken to temporarily change operations due to the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
March 2, 2020 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 On Public Safety Hon. Shirley N. Weber, Chair