In January 2024, PORAC released a new resource for legislators: a Decriminalization Timeline outlining California’s violent crime trends between 1985 and 2021 that reveals the impact of overreaching criminal justice reforms on public safety. With the recent uptick in crime across our state, we felt it was necessary to trace the roots of California’s major decriminalization laws, policies, ballot measures and court decisions over the past 36 years. Our research shows a clear correlation between these key policy moments and increases in violent crime and the victimization of innocent Californians.
As law enforcement professionals, we understand firsthand that there are many factors that influence crime rates, like education, socioeconomic conditions and geography. But the data in this timeline emphasizes the impacts of legislative actions on public safety. Decriminalization, while well-intentioned, can very easily turn into prioritizing the rights of convicted criminals over victims. We are using this tool to urge elected officials to consider any further criminal justice and public safety reforms through the lens of how they will impact law-abiding citizens first. It’s the right thing to do, and we need to get back to that.