Over the last six years, California has launched a number of significant criminal justice reforms. In 2011, the Legislature and Governor Brown enacted a complete realignment of responsibilities for offenders, with an emphasis on county programs to reduce recidivism and lower costs. In 2014, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 47, which reclassifies a number of crimes to misdemeanors in order to minimize the number of felony offenders serving in State custody. This November, California voters will consider yet another criminal justice reform measure aimed at altering sentencing practices. Much of these reforms come against the backdrop of the federal courts’ involvement in managing the State prison population and the level of healthcare afforded to inmates. Join esteemed panelists as they assess the results of these reforms upon California’s criminal justice system.
- The Honorable Brian McCabe, Merced County Superior Court Judge
- The Honorable Kory Honea, Butte County Sheriff
- Magnus Lofstrom, Senior Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California