Retail Theft in California: Looking Back at a Decade of Change

Jun 12, 2025 - Increased Term Lengths for Retail Crime. Some law changes increase the length of sentences or supervision for certain retail theft crimes. The  most significant changes include: Misdemeanor Probation Term for Shoplifting.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5055

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Those departments may seek increases in compensation to ensure their pay remains competitive with CDCR —potentially adding still more costs to the state. Extending Licensing Exemptions to Out‑of‑State Licensed Providers State Licensing Policies Limit Pool of Potential Providers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

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

Feb 23, 2026 - Adding More Licensing Exemptions for Those Who Work at Prisons. Currently, providers with out ‑of ‑state licenses are required to obtain a California license to work in CDCR, though some may use their out ‑of ‑state license on a temporary basis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

The 2025-26 Budget: Department of Justice

Feb 19, 2025 - For example, one potential funding option discussed in the report was to increase the specific fee added when individuals are convicted of criminal offenses which generates the revenue deposited into the DNA Identification Fund.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4972

The 2024-25 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 22, 2024 - The projected decrease in the parole population is primarily due to recent policy changes that have reduced the length of time people spend on parole by allowing them to be discharged earlier than  otherwise.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4852

Assessing Community College Programs at State Prisons

Jul 1, 2024 - Given that the results of the recommended data and studies have the potential to notably improve legislative decision ‑making on prison postsecondary education policy and programs moving forward, we believe the added administrative workload is warranted.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4913

Overview and Update on the Prison Receivership

Nov 8, 2023 - An estimated $194  million was added to the state budget from 2002 ‑03 through 2006 ‑07 to address the problems identified in prison medical care. However, upon further review of the state ’s performance, the federal court found that the state had failed to comply with its orders.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4813

Improving Parolee Substance Use Disorder Treatment Through Medi-Cal

Apr 14, 2021 - Reduced Length of Parole Terms Chapter   29 o f 2020 (S B  118 , Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) established an opportunity for parolees to earn early discharge after one year of parole based on good behavior.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4411

MOU Fiscal Analysis: Bargaining Unit 6 (Corrections)

Sep 7, 2023 - In 2018, the Legislature approved and the Governor signed Chapter  174 ( AB 2550 , Weber), adding Section 2644 of the Penal Code. This law seeks to protect females in prison from sexual assault, abuse, and other improper contact with male correctional officers.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4800

Achieving the Goals of the SB 678 County Probation Grant Program

Oct 10, 2023 - However, based on limited data on marginal costs and average length of stay in prison and on parole, we estimate the state saves about $73,000 for each person diverted from prison, which could translate to $25,500 in savings passed on to counties at rate of 35  percent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4806