California Policy Lab November 2024 Newsletter

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Preventing homelessness in Los Angeles

Our new report on L.A. County’s Homelessness Prevention Unit shows how the program uses predictive analytics, proactive outreach, intensive case management, and flexible financial support to help people at high risk of homelessness. CPL provides the predictive model for the program and is conducting an RCT to evaluate longer-term outcomes. Join us on Dec 5th for a webinar about the new report. Report

Assessment of LA’s Welfare to Work program

The Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) program provides mandatory education and training for CalWORKs recipients who are able to work. CPL’s new report, the first of its kind in 20 years, focuses on whether GAIN improves employment and earnings outcomes for participants. Report

Analysis of California Highway Patrol stops

This report analyzes 2.3 million stops made in 2022 to better understand who is being stopped (or helped in non-enforcement stops); if there are racial and ethnic disparities in who is being stopped; and to suggest possible strategies the CHP could use to reduce disparities in stops and promote public safety. Report

Study shows impact of Humphrey court decision in San Francisco

This court decision required San Francisco criminal courts to set bail levels based on a defendant’s ability to pay — instead of the county bail schedule. A new CPL journal article  in Criminology & Public Policy shows that pretrial detention fell 11% and that individuals released pretrial were less likely to be convicted (3 percentage point decline). Journal article

Pilot program providing earlier legal access shows promising results

A new CPL article in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology shows that a pilot program providing earlier legal representation had striking results in Santa Clara County. Participants were 75% more likely to secure pretrial release and spent 79% less time in detention (before and after arraignment). Earlier access also led to a 75% decrease in the probability of conviction and a 27 percentage-point increase in the probability of case dismissal. Journal article

Webinar: Learn more about the HPU program

During a Dec 5th webinar, CPL and our partners will share preliminary insights about the program, who it’s serving, early outcome data, and how CPL will measure if the program is effective at preventing homelessness. Registration

CPL staff + affiliates present at APPAM’s Fall Research Conference

CPL staff and affiliates are presenting and speaking on housing, criminal justice reform, CalFresh, and the economic recovery after the pandemic. Congrats to our colleagues, Karla Palos Castellanos and Nefara Riesch, who were selected as 2024 APPAM Equity & Inclusion Fellows. CPL at the APPAM conference

Proposition 32 was just rejected. In blue California, why did the minimum-wage boost fail?

Till von Wachter, faculty director at CPL’s UCLA site, is interviewed about research on the impact of minimum wage policies.

Can AI help government prevent homelessness?

This article shares findings from CPL’s new report on the Homelessness Prevention Unit. CPL and our LA County partners are hosting a webinar about the report and program on Dec 5th: registration.

Editorial: L.A. County voters agreed to another tax to reduce homelessness. Let’s make sure it does

CPL’s work on identifying people at risk of homelessness is cited in this editorial about Measure A passing in Los Angeles.

Support our work
Consider donating to support our work generating research insights for government impact. If you are interested in making a larger gift, please reach out to Evan White or Janey Rountree to discuss opportunities to support CPL.