Report Expanding Health Coverage in California: County Jails as Enrollment Sites By Shannon McConville, Mia Bird May 10, 2016 In 2014, the first year of Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation, the number of Californians with health insurance increased substantially. However, millions of state residents continue to lack comprehensive health coverage, and those who remain uninsured are likely more difficult to enroll through traditional strategies. In this report, we find that uninsured rates are highest for young men and for those with low levels of education, income, and employment. The prevalence of these same characteristics among correctional populations suggests that the justice system—and, in particular, county jails—may offer points of contact for many uninsured individuals who would otherwise be hard to reach. Outreach and enrollment efforts aimed at local jail populations are set within the policy context of California’s 2011 Public Safety Realignment, which created incentives and resources for local corrections agencies to improve reentry outcomes. With expansions in access to health insurance coverage under the ACA, nearly all counties are establishing programs to provide enrollment assistance to jail inmates as part of a more comprehensive reentry strategy. But resources and capacity are limited, so it is important to identify effective models to maximize the potential of county correctional systems as sites of insurance enrollment.
blog post Most New Immigrants Are From Asia By Hans Johnson Jan 23, 2014 News that California has grown to 38.2 million people—the largest population increase in nine years according to the state Department of Finance—garnered a lot of attention. But this increase was actually modest, even slow, when compared to most years before 2005.
Fact Sheet California Voter and Party Profiles By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Aug 28, 2023 About 47% of registered voters are Democrats, 24% are Republicans, and 23% are independents. Most independent likely voters lean toward a major party.
Report Do Registration Reforms Add New Voters or Keep Californians Registered? By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Mar 6, 2024 In recent years, new voter registration and voter address updates have surged—due largely to California’s new process for automatic voter registration. But registration reforms have not significantly diversified the electorate, and the state may need to do more to engage newly registered voters.
blog post Will This Recession Deepen California’s Economic Divide? By Sarah Bohn, Dean Bonner, Vicki Hsieh, Julien Lafortune Dec 7, 2020 The current downturn is having a disproportionate impact on low-income Californians and communities of color. Deliberate policy action can help create an equitable recovery and broaden long-term economic opportunity.
Fact Sheet Income Inequality in California By Tess Thorman, Daniel Payares-Montoya Apr 17, 2024 California’s income gap narrowed in 2022, but the disparity between high and low incomes is wider in California than in most other states. Over the longer term, income inequality has been driven by earnings growth among college-educated workers.
blog post Half of Asian Americans Say Race Relations Have Worsened By Deja Thomas, Rachel Lawler, Vicki Hsieh Apr 7, 2021 Californians’ views of race relations vary across racial/ethnic groups, with Asian Americans the most likely to say that race relations in the US are worse than they were a year ago.
blog post An Early Look at the November Election By Mark Baldassare Apr 10, 2024 With California's November ballot taking shape, we examine how the state's voters are feeling about races for president, the US Senate, and the House of Representatives.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops By Magnus Lofstrom, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar Oct 10, 2022 Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic stops for non-moving violations—especially those made by local police and sheriff departments—deserve consideration for alternative enforcement strategies. However, any changes need to be balanced against the possibility of hampering efforts to confiscate dangerous contraband, especially firearms.
