Criminal Justice

California adopted criminal penalties for filing false claims against police officers 30 years ago. The state Supreme Court held that the LAPD went too far in advising people about those penalties when they file citizen complaints.

A California prison psychologist sought protection after an inmate reportedly threatened her. Instead, the prisoner was allowed to stay and she lost her job.

Potentially volatile cellmates are a fact of life in California prisons. That may change as the state's incarcerated population declines, freeing up space for single-person quarters.

As alcohol-related roadway deaths spike across the state, a CalMatters investigation finds California has some of the weakest DUI laws in the country.

While DUI fatalities surge, a CalMatters investigation finds state leaders have shown little willingness to address the issue.

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would've trained police to respond to transnational oppression, such as when foreign governments like India oppress expats living in California.

The biggest study yet on California’s tough-on-crime ballot measure Proposition 36 shows few people are finding their way into the treatment it promised.

An estimated 1 in 5 Californians live with a conviction on their record. A 2022 law gives many of them a chance to expunge their record and make greater contributions to their communities.

Celebrity helped the Menendez brothers get a shot at parole, but it also brought even more scrutiny to them as they made a case for release.

Several new California laws gave incarcerated people a second chance at freedom. A new report provides the first in-depth look at how they’re working.