Justice

“Am I going to continue banging my head against the wall here for something I don’t think is going to change?” asked the leader of a civilian law enforcement review board in San Diego County.

As the state moves to shrink its prison population, it hasn’t been measuring the effectiveness of a key parole program known as STOP, the Specialized Treatment for Optimized Programming.

The California Justice Department investigates all fatal police shootings of unarmed civilians. It has not filed charges against any officers since the program began two years ago.

A group of Democratic legislators outline a package of bills to offer more services to offenders and crime victims. The proposals come during an election year and when Democrats are divided on how to address crime.

Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to address a rise in jail deaths early in his administration. Since then, fentanyl overdoses and suicides have death rates at historic highs.

Law enforcement leaders hold a majority of seats on California’s jail oversight board. As overdoses rise, a new state law is adding seats for people with health and behavioral health expertise.

California has one of the nation’s broadest laws to clear criminal records, and it’s about to expand even more. Supporters say expungements give a fresh start to people who have done their time.

It was clear 37-year-old Fredreaka Jack needed intense mental and physical health care. Yet California’s publicly funded parole system failed to make sure she got it.

A Los Angeles man convicted of slaying an elderly neighbor in 1989 cannot seek parole under new state laws that were intended to give youth offenders a shot at freedom, the California Supreme Court ruled.

Despite higher than average number of police pursuits in 2023, Prop. E would weaken existing policy and allow drone use. Opponents say that’s a risk to public safety that could have a ripple effect for the rest of California.