Report Health Care for California’s Jail Population By Shannon McConville, Mia Bird Jun 18, 2014 The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has created a new opportunity for California to reach and enroll a medically vulnerable population—the jail population—in health insurance coverage. While inmates receive health care services from county jail systems while incarcerated, few have coverage after they are released from custody. Expansion of the state’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) under the ACA has extended insurance eligibility to much of the currently uninsured jail population. As a complement to the ACA, California recently signed into law Assembly Bill 720 (AB 720), which facilitates the use of jails as sites of health insurance enrollment. Increasing enrollment levels for the jail population holds the potential to reduce corrections costs, as well as improve public health and safety.
event Expanding Health Insurance Coverage in California: County Jails as Enrollment Sites May 11, 2016 About the ProgramHealth coverage rates in California have increased significantly under the Affordable Care Act. But millions remain uninsured, and traditional enrollment strategies might not reach these residents. Given the characteristics—and size—of California's jail population, along with recent policy changes, county jails could be promising sites for enrollment. PPIC researcher Shannon McConville will outline a new report on expanding health coverage through the jail system. This research was supported with funding from The California Wellness Foundation.
blog post California Jails and COVID-19 By Heather Harris, Joseph Hayes Aug 11, 2021 The jail population statewide remains below its pre-pandemic level. Still, more than 15,000 people are housed in overcrowded jail conditions associated with virus proliferation.
Report Capacity Challenges in California’s Jails By Magnus Lofstrom, Katherine Kramer Sep 27, 2012 In an effort widely known as "realignment,” California has given its counties enormous new responsibilities for corrections—including authority over many new types of felony offenders and parolees. Rather than go to state prison, these offenders now go to county jail or receive an alternative sanction. In the first few months of realignment, California’s jail population increased noticeably—but many jails were already facing capacity concerns. We find that some offenders who would have been incarcerated prior to realignment are now either not locked up or are not spending as much time in jail. Going forward, counties will need to consider a wide variety of approaches for handling their capacity concerns and their expanded offender populations.
blog post Rising Jail Populations Mean Rising COVID-19 Infections By Heather Harris Oct 19, 2020 Populations in California’s county jails are on the rebound, which could put people in jails and in surrounding communities at increased COVID-19 risk.
blog post Video: County Jails and the ACA By Linda Strean May 16, 2016 Helping jail inmates get health care coverage could have multiple benefits, according to a new report presented in Sacramento.
Report How Has Proposition 47 Affected California’s Jail Population? By Sonya Tafoya, Mia Bird, Ryken Grattet, Viet Nguyen Mar 30, 2016 Passed by the voters in 2014, Proposition 47 reduced penalties for certain drug and property crimes. This change led to dramatic declines in the state's jail population, driven by decreases in arrests, convictions, and jail time for Proposition 47 offenders. This research was supported with funding from The California Endowment.
Report Key Factors in Arrest Trends and Differences in California’s Counties By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin, Justin Goss, Joseph Hayes Sep 9, 2019 Arrests in California have declined in the last few decades—driven by lower crime rates and criminal justice reforms. While rural, poorer counties tend to have higher overall arrest rates, affluent counties often see larger racial disparities in arrests.
blog post Jail Bookings Down Significantly during COVID-19 By Magnus Lofstrom, Brandon Martin May 6, 2020 California’s “zero-bail” emergency measure, along with decreased crime and changes in local law enforcement practices, appear to have substantially reduced the number of people sent to jail during the pandemic.
