Criminal Justice

California lawmakers have less than two weeks to wrap up their work before the end of the legislative session on Aug. 31. And so begins the final legislative traffic jam, as bills line up for final votes. A piece of legislation’s particular place in that line is the complex product of political horse-trading, the competing […]

In some ways, the suspense file that state lawmakers churned through on Thursday — a lengthy list of hundreds of bills that they either silently sent to their death or let survive another day — didn’t live up to its reputation. That’s because the secretive, twice-annual process — which allows legislators to shelve bills they […]

Texas put a bounty on abortion providers and California did the same for illegal gun sales. But bounties have a long and troubled history — and critics say bringing them back is not a good idea.

New state laws on police accountability are testing the limits of several agencies, including the Department of Justice, which say they need more resources for these new duties.

State environmental experts worry that smashing old TVs, monitors and laptops in so-called ‘rage rooms’ may release hazardous waste or potentially harm customers’ health.

Proposition 47 removed the threat of jail time for simple drug possession. Now participation in drug courts is way down.

The use of water as a weapon over California’s prisoners violates basic human decency — especially during a deadly pandemic.

Overly narrow criteria limit the number of seriously ill and dying people the courts can consider for compassionate release from prison. Assembly Bill 960 will ensure that sick and dying prisoners who do not pose a risk to public safety can be considered for release.

A bill that passed the Assembly would create a “community campus” on prison grounds where inmates cook their own food and secure jobs before their release.

When the public perceives that they have elevated criminal-justice reform over their primary duty as prosecutor, district attorneys can and usually will run into serious trouble, as Chesa Boudin did.