The 2023-24 Budget: Department of Justice Budget Proposals

Feb 23, 2023 - Annual budgets since 2009 ‑10 have typically appropriated funding to the entire Legal Division from various fund sources. This means that DOJ has flexibility on how such resources are specifically used across the division.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4701

Improving California’s Criminal Fine and Fee System

Jan 5, 2016 - Figure  10 provides a summary of our recommendations, which are discussed in greater detail below. Figure 10 Revaluate structure of criminal fine and fee system. Increase legislative control of criminal fine and fee expenditures.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3322

The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - (We also include links to Appendix tables at the end of this post and the top left of this page. These appendix tables itemize select proposals by policy area based on our understanding at this time.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432

The 2026-27 Budget: Estimated State Savings From Proposition 47

Feb 23, 2026 - Proposition  47 further requires that monies in the SNSF be allocated as follows: (1)  65  percent to the Board of State and Community Corrections for mental health and substance use treatment, (2)  25  percent to the California Department of Education for school truancy and drop-out prevention, and (3)  10  percent to the California Victim Compensation Board for trauma recovery services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5108

The 2026-27 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 23, 2026 - Specifically, the department must reduce vacancies below 10  percent in five key classifications: psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, recreational therapists, and medical assistants.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - Additionally, since 2009 ‑10, nearly $1.7  billion has been transferred from the judicial branch ’s construction accounts to the General Fund or to support trial court operations. These transfers were originally made to help address the fiscal difficulties then facing the state.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Given that it appears easier to recruit and retain mental health staff at some prisons relative to others, we recommend requiring CDCR report on the feasibility of concentrating —or clustering —the mental health population at the prisons where it is easiest to recruit and retain staff by January 10, 2027.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections)

Sep 7, 2023 - Fewer Employees at Top Step. The share of Unit  6 members who are at the top step of the correctional officer salary range has decreased from 71  percent in 2013 to 57  percent in 2021. This is consistent with the fact that state correctional officers tend to have fewer years of service today than they did in 2013.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4800

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Justice

Feb 11, 2026 - We recommend the Legislature direct DOJ to provide a potential framework by January 10, 2027 for determining what firearm and ammunition workload should be funded by special fund fee revenues. In developing this framework, DOJ can evaluate its entire workload, the potential impact of FITSM and other actions that can help improve efficiency, and existing federal and state statu te and case law.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5118

The 2017-18 Budget: Governor’s Criminal Fine and Fee Proposals

Mar 3, 2017 - Accordingly, we recommend the Legislature require that nearly all fine and fee revenue, excluding those subject to certain legal restrictions (such as monies collected for violations of state law protecting fish and game), be deposited into the General Fund for subseque nt appropriation by the Legislature in the annual state budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3600