The 2026-27 Budget: Judicial Branch

Feb 11, 2026 - Finally, the Orange CJC project is already in progress and addresses key safety issues in a building with large numbers of people visiting on a daily basis. …But CJC Proposal Raises Questions About Appropriate Oversight.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5113

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - During a site visit in July 2025, SQRC staff noted that retention was high at the prison, and that new applicants have had to be placed on the waitlist because of how well staffed the prison is. Staff at the prison have indicated that this improves the prison ’s ability to deliver care, increases morale, and makes the prison a more desirable place  to  work.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

The 2026-27 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 23, 2026 - During a tele ‑mental health visit in prison, an incarcerated patient is escorted to a medical room within the prison where they communicate via audio and video with the mental health provider over a secure network.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5137

Assessing Community College Programs at State Prisons

Jul 1, 2024 - In fall 2023, we visited several prisons (both men’s and women’s). We met with students, faculty, and staff. During these visits, students shared their challenges, such as having instruction disrupted by prison security incidences that required them to return to their cells and encountering technology glitches (such as having difficulty finding areas of the prison with a strong enough Wi‑Fi signal for their laptops).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4913

State Corrections: Response to COVID-19

May 8, 2020 - Accordingly, in-person visitation has generally been suspended. However, CDCR has taken steps to reduce costs and expand access to other forms of external communication for inmates such as phone calls and e-mails.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4229

The 2024-25 Budget: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Feb 22, 2024 - For  example, the department initially suspended visiting and rehabilitation programs, reduced the density of dormitories by housing some people in open areas (such as gymnasiums), and suspended nonurgent health care services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4852

Retail Theft in California: Looking Back at a Decade of Change

Jun 12, 2025 - We outline in this report how the recent law changes expanded the tools available for law en forcement and prosecutors to respond to retail theft, how research suggests these tools could potentially impact crime rates, and provide key questions about implementation and outcomes of these changes for the Legislature to ask as it conducts ongoing oversight of the issue of retail  theft.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5055

The 2020-21 Budget: Criminal Justice Proposals

Feb 18, 2020 - However, the private sector would be subject to the same challenges and already allows telehealth providers to telecommute, including a number of companies that supply telehealth services in correctional settings.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4164

A Review of State Standards and Inspections for Local Detention Facilities

Feb 16, 2021 - Moreover, because they visit facilities throughout the state, inspectors are in a position to facilitate knowledge sharing between facilities and can identify systemic challenges faced statewide. This information can be used by leaders, such as boards of supervisors or the Legislature, to address these problems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4371

The 2023-24 California Spending Plan: Judiciary and Criminal Justice

Oct 16, 2023 - The remaining amount reflects adjustments to baseline funding for DOJ legal workload, including the following: About $8  million ongoing special funds for increased investigations and prosecutions of antitrust violations in technology, gasoline and oil, and agriculture sectors.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4805