In the latest episode of Hometown California, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Magnus Lofstrom, Policy Director and Senior Fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) about the last ten years of criminal justice reforms in California, and the intersection with the day-to-day management of counties.

  • What was the impetus for reform when the efforts began?
  • Is California setting the trend, or following other states?
  • What does the data reveal about the effectiveness of the reforms?
  • How have the reforms impacted counties?
  • What are some differences the data shows between rural and urban counties?
  • Where do we go from here

Listen in as Lofstrom provides insight gained from PPIC's study of the data about California's criminal justice reforms. The resulting publications range from one-page fact sheets to comprehensive, in-depth reports.

As head of the Criminal Justice team at the PPIC, Lofstrom has spent years monitoring criminal justice reforms in California and studying their impacts, looking at recidivism and improving reentry outcomes, and assessing racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

With a commitment to provide high-quality research and analysis, PPIC encourages civil, productive dialogue that inspires sustainable policy solutions in Sacramento and around the state. The mission, vision, and values of the PPIC drive the organizational choices and staff activities that continue this work. More information and research in other subject areas is available on the PPIC website.