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Statewide Region Crime & Justice Digest



CA Bill Addressing Armed Vigilantism Draws Swift GOP Backlash

03/06/2025

Los Angeles Assemblymember Rick Zbur says he wants to narrow the standards for justifiable homicide. Critics say he wants to make self-defense illegal.

Bay Area City Backs Down After Proposing on Ban ‘Aiding and Abetting’ Homeless Encampments

03/05/2025

The Fremont city council has revised a new city camping ordinance, removing what had become a controversial clause — first reported on by CalMatters — that could have punished those  “aiding and abetting” encampments.

First-of-Its Kind Court Order Halts Sweep of California Homeless Camp

03/04/2025

This appears to be the first such injunction since the U.S. Supreme Court let cities crack down on homeless encampments in California and beyond.

Prop. 36 Poses Cash Problem for Local Governments

02/25/2025

California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, a new law that stiffened penalties for certain drug and theft charges, and pledged to provide “mass treatment” for those facing drug charges.

But since the law took effect, some counties have been scrambling to implement the measure without new funding or, according to people involved in enforcing the law, sufficient resources.

California Legislative Black Caucus Continue to Advance Reparations

02/20/2025

Read on to learn more about the package of 15 bills proposed by the California Legislative Black Caucus to correct the discrimination and harm to descendants of the enslaved in California.

CalMatters’ Reporting Helps Inspire Wage Theft Legislation

02/12/2025

After a 2022 CalMatters series documenting long waits and low payouts for workers who claim their employers have shorted them on wages, California lawmakers have now proposed bills to try to ease the backlogs.

Did Confusing Language Doom California’s Anti-Slavery Amendment? Lawmakers Want to Try Again

02/12/2025

Californians rejected the anti-slavery ballot measure Proposition 6, which would have forbid forced prison labor. Reparations advocates want to try again in 2026.

California Court Rules Against Baker in Revival of Same-Sex Wedding Cake Disputes

02/12/2025

A California appeals court rules a baker can’t refuse to sell a generic cake to a lesbian couple. It’s part of a series of cases shaping the debate over free speech and anti-discrimination laws.

‘It Was Just a Regular Morning’: Californians Picked Up in Recent ICE Raids Include Kids, Volunteers

02/10/2025

Interviews suggest some people swept up in Trump’s immigration crackdown are dedicated to their families and communities — not hardened criminals.

Should ‘Aiding’ or ‘Abetting’ a Homeless Camp Be Illegal? It Might Soon Be a Reality in This Bay Area City

02/03/2025

The unusual move is alarming activists who worry they could be in the ordinance’s crosshairs.

Trump Wants to Break California’s Sanctuary State Law: 5 Things to Know

01/27/2025

One of President Trump’s first executive orders threatened to withhold federal funding from so-called sanctuary jurisdictions. California is one of them.

Hundreds of California Prison Firefighters Join Battle Against Los Angeles Wildfires

01/09/2025

State prisoners have long been a part of California’s firefighting force. Hundreds of them now are deployed in Los Angeles County.

‘People Are Still Mad’: Will CA Pass Reparations Bills?

01/06/2025

After two reparations bills stalled in the final day of session last year, reparation advocates are campaigned at the state Capitol to drum up support for the same measures.

4 New Laws Strengthen Cities’ Abilities to Impound Vehicles Involved in Sideshows

01/03/2025

While cities in California continue to pass ordinances to combat illegal sideshows, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several laws that go into effect this year statewide to give municipalities more legal tools to address them. 

Can California Keep ICE Away From Schools? Lawmakers Want to Try as Crackdowns Loom

01/02/2025

California legislators want to limit deportation actions at schools, but they can’t ban immigration officials.

Community Volunteer Program Helping Reach Zero Recidivism Among Parolees in California

12/26/2024

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS ARE proving that they play a vital role when it comes to public safety in California. The California Reentry Institute, directed by Collette Carroll to help potential parolees, has graduated more than 230 incarcerated individuals in San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.

California Stiffened Penalties for Theft — And More Changes Are Coming

12/26/2024

Californians accused of certain drug and retail theft crimes may already be facing stiffer penalties under an initiative voters passed this year, alongside related bills Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law. 

California’s Jail Population Will Rise Thanks to Prop. 36. So Will Inmate Deaths, Advocates Say

12/16/2024

California recorded historically high numbers of deaths in county jails for the past six years. Now, counties expect to house more prisoners as Prop. 36 takes effect.

How Well Is CA Racial Justice Law Working?

11/21/2024

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Racial Justice Act into law in September 2020, following the police murder of George Floyd. For the first time, defendants can put bias from any brush with the criminal legal system — from arrest to sentencing — on the stand.

California Empowered Immigrants to Speak Up at Work. Trump Could End Their Protections

11/10/2024

California wants to protect witnesses in workplace investigations from deportation, but the Biden administration program for undocumented employees is at risk with Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

Will CA Ballot Proposition Mean More Deportations?

10/22/2024

With proponents of Proposition 36 raising nearly $15 million so far — about three times as much as its opponents — and 71% of likely voters in support, it appears the statewide ballot measure will pass in November.
And that’s exactly what immigrant rights advocates are worried about.

No One Is Fighting a Proposition to Ban Forced Labor in California Prisons. Why It Could Still Fail

10/16/2024

Supporters of a proposition to ban forced labor in California prisons believe they have a strong message centered on rehabilitation. But as Election Day nears, polls show it’s a toss-up or trailing.

California Collects Millions in Stolen Wages, but Can’t Find Many Workers to Pay Them

10/02/2024

The state Labor Commissioner sometimes struggles to get back pay to workers when it reaches wage theft settlements. It tries social media, TV and hotlines. But money owed to employees is still sitting in state accounts.

Election Guide: Proposition 36 Anti-Crime Measure

09/25/2024

The Mercury News guide to the anti-crime and ant-drug dealing measure Proposition 36 on the November ballot.

UC Approves New Less-Lethal Arms for Its Police Force Amid Protest

09/19/2024

The UC Regents approved campus requests for more tools for UC police months after campus protesters clashed with law enforcement.

6 Myths About California Crime as Voters Weigh Ballot Measure on Drugs, Retail Theft

09/18/2024

Worries about retail theft and fentanyl deaths shaped a November ballot measure that would toughen some criminal penalties. Here are the facts about California crime trends.

CA Cities Jump on Homeless Encampment Bans

09/13/2024

For five years, California officials responding to the homelessness crisis had to work around one big restriction imposed by the federal courts: Because they didn’t have enough shelter beds, cities generally couldn’t make homeless camps illegal.

No Sleeping Bags, Keep Moving: California Cities Increase Crackdown on Homeless Encampments

09/11/2024

More than two-dozen California cities passed, strengthened or are considering ordinances that penalize people for sleeping outside, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to crack down.

1 in 6 CHP Jobs Are Vacant — Despite Historic Raises and Newsom’s Hiring Campaign

08/28/2024

California Highway Patrol officers received historically high raises in 2022 and 2023, but it continues to face a high vacancy rate of 16%.

When Should Police Be Involved at School? A California Bill Would Let Teachers Make the Call

08/25/2024

In the final week of session, legislators are debating whether to give more leeway to public school teachers when to report students to law enforcement. Supporters say disabled and students of color are unfairly disciplined, but opponents say school safety is at risk.

Newsom’s Hands-on Approach to Crime in California Cities Gains Critics in Oakland

08/25/2024

Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken to using state resources to fight crime on a local level. Not everyone in the cities he’s taken an interest in is thrilled with the results.

Proposition 6 Explainer

08/21/2024

The Sacramento Bee explains Proposition 6, the initiative to ban involuntary servitude.

Featured

California cities switch to more inclusive, district-based elections system.
Voting Rights...the Final Frontier
Pushed by activists, cities move from at-large elections to district races.
Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
The California Supreme Court has defined the state’s legal and political agenda for more than 170 years.
How the California Supreme Court Blazes Legal Trails
From its beginnings in the Gold Rush, the state Supreme Court continues to define the state today.