Overview of State Correctional Population and Spending Trends [Publication Details]

Mar 18, 2026 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5161

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Justice

Feb 11, 2026 - Overall BOF Funding and General Fund Support Increased Over Past Decade. As shown in Figure  2, support for BOF has increased over the past decade from $26.6  million in 2016-17 to $70.4  million in 2025-26 —an increase of $43.8  million (or 165  percent).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5118

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

Feb 23, 2026 - This reflects a $6  million increase (nearly 1  percent) from the revised 2025 ‑26 level. While this is a modest increase, Figure  7 shows that costs for mental health have increased by over $100  million since 2023 ‑24.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - The amount of revenue deposited into the fund steadily declined over the past years, resulting in expenditures routinely exceeding revenues. 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.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Increase Use of CDCR Tele ‑Mental Health to Maximum Court ‑Approved Levels. We recommend directing CDCR to increase the use of tele ‑mental health up to the maximum levels approved by the court. This could attract qualified professionals who might not otherwise want to work in a prison setting, as well as allow the state to recruit from areas where there are more providers available.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

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

Feb 23, 2026 - The 2026-27 Budget: Estimated State Savings From Proposition 47 Estimated State Savings From Proposition  47 Background Proposition  47 (2014) Reduced Punishment for Certain Lower-Level Drug and Property Crimes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5108

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care [Publication Details]

Feb 23, 2026 - For over three decades, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has faced litigation for providing unconstitutional levels of prison mental health care, in part due to chronic vacancies among mental health staff.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5134