Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Given the importance of non ‑compensation factors in determining vacancy rates, it is unclear what level of pay increase would be needed to meaningfully improve recruitment and retention for mental health positions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

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

Jun 12, 2025 - Then, we summarize research finding evidence that Proposition  47 increased larceny (a type of theft that includes shoplifting as well as non ‑retail thefts), though it remains unclear whether and how it impacted retail theft specifically.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5055

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

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

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 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Judiciary and Criminal Justice

Oct 24, 2025 - The budget provides Judicial Council with discretion in allocating the funding, but requires that at least half of the funding be allocated based on each trial court ’s share of 2023-24 non-traffic criminal filings.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5085

Overview and Update on the Prison Receivership

Nov 8, 2023 - The federal court found that the IT (such as electronic files that track appointments) to complete essential medical care tasks was “practically non ‑existent ” in California prisons. To address these deficiencies, the Receiver procured various IT systems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4813

The 2023-24 Budget: Office of the State Public Defender

Feb 15, 2023 - This suggests that the lack of diversity at OSPD could be related to there being an insufficient number of non-white attorneys statewide. To the extent this is the case, it could be important for OSPD to coordinate its efforts with those being undertaken to address this wider problem.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4680

The 2024-25 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 23, 2024 - (We note that such legal resour ces may also be supported by federal or other non-state funds.) These legal resources generally fall into two categories: (1)  legal assistance and (2)  legal services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4848

Improving Parolee Substance Use Disorder Treatment Through Medi-Cal

Apr 14, 2021 - Parole agents also have the flexibility to refer parolees to non ‑CDCR ‑funded programs such as Medi ‑Cal ‑funded SUDT providers. However, CDCR lacks a formal process for making or keeping track of referrals to non ‑CDCR ‑funded SUDT.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4411