Report: Prison Crowding and Crime Rates Down After Realignment
Four years ago, state lawmakers made significant changes to our criminal justice system, shifting responsibility for thousands of non-violent, non-sexual and less serious felons from the state to the counties. People who would have gone to the big house served time in local jails. Opponents of the change feared a deadly crime wave. Now, a new report finds violent crime in California dropped to historic lows, while the state prison population declined to levels not seen in a couple decades.
Pilot Program Uses Paramedics to Cut ER Overcrowding
If you've ever needed care at an emergency room, it's likely you had to wait, and then, wait some more. In emergency rooms throughout California, typical wait times can be hours long. But new pilot programs starting in several cities around Southern California this month are hoping to both ease that overcrowding and improve patient satisfaction.