Prisons

California's whopping $14.4 billion prison budget and the governor’s $360.6 million price tag to "transform" San Quentin into a rehabilitation center seemingly overlook the existing problems with the prison’s infrastructure. Maintenance needs topped $1.6 billion in 2021, and the issues inside are slow to improve if they do at all.

The 2024 primary election is less than six months away, and, thanks to a series of measures over the last few years, the process will look a little different for voters.  For one, it’s the first presidential primary in which everyone can vote by mail. Because California’s top-two primary system — in which the two […]

Attila Colar went to prison for lying to the government. After California gave him another contract as a provider in a rehabilitation program, a federal jury convicted him of fraud for using the personal information of Bay Area parolees and others to collect government COVID funds.

California prisons are badly understaffed when it comes to doctors and psychiatrists. A new contract attempts to boost retention with substantial bonuses.

From CalMatters state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal: After many twists and turns  — intra-party drama, xenophobic comments against its author and division among some South Asian communities — the first-in-the-nation bill to ban caste discrimination in California’s housing and employment laws completed its journey through the Legislature Tuesday with a 31-5 vote in the Senate.  […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom has closed two state prisons and he has plans to shut two more by 2025. A new contract for correctional officers offers new perks to the guards who stay.

Locally elected sheriffs manage California jails and are responsible for the safety of the inmates they hold. Record deaths in San Diego’s jail are shaping a plan for new statewide oversight.

From CalMatters’ state Capitol reporter Sameea Kamal:  California has taken a number of steps over the past decade to make voting easier: Mailing ballots to all registered voters, plus allowing early voting and same-day registration.  Yet, the electorate hasn’t shifted to match the state’s growing diversity: Frequent voters are far from representative of the majority […]

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to make prisons a friendlier place for inmate families. An updated strip-search policy has some worried that families will face intrusive encounters during their visits.

“A catastrophic hunger crisis.” That’s the dire warning from the California Association of Food Banks, after federal pandemic food aid ended earlier this spring.  But why does a state with so much food — California produces nearly half the country’s fruits and vegetables — and that spends so much on food aid have so many […]