Unseen billions: Every year, California makes a massive investment in jails and probation, with little county transparency or state oversight

by Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice San Francisco – A new report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) titled “Unseen Billions” finds that Public Safety Realignment (AB 109) funding – one of the largest state-level criminal justice disbursements in the nation – is being spent with little oversight or transparency, while deepening California’s investment in its criminal justice system. This paper examines AB 109 funding, including how counties report data, the amount given to law enforcement and strategies for boosting oversight of this critical funding stream.& Despite total funding of approximately $2 billion annually, it is currently not possible to take a full accounting of AB 109 spending. County plans are haphazard and unclear, and the state has not taken the necessary steps to require and standardize reporting. The data that are available paint a consistent picture: Law enforcement agencies are receiving the vast majority of funds. In the average county, 74 percent  of FY 2022-23 AB 109 funds were allocated to sheriffs, police, DAs and probation departments. Law enforcement agencies receive the majority of the funding. Key findings include: ● County plans are cursory, offering little information about how funds are being spent.& ● Counties...