Realignment, other reforms didn't impact crime levels

December 5, 2017

In recent years, there have been major changes to criminal justice policy in California. In 2014, Proposition 47 downgraded many drug and theft crimes to misdemeanors, while in 2011, the Public Safety Realignment law took effect with the goal of shrinking prison populations.

Those reforms are unlikely to have changed statewide crime trends, says Charis Kubrin, professor of criminology, law and society.

"These criminal justice reform policies didn't seem to have much of an impact," Kubrin told the LA Times.

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