The Criminal Justice Program engages in research to understand small cities in LA County and their budget allocations to police officers’ salaries. We have conducted in depth analyses of the budgets of Santa Monica, Culver City, and Pasadena Police Departments. See the briefs below:

Culver City Police Department Budget Breakdown

Pasadena Police Department Budget Breakdown

Santa Monica Police Department Budget Breakdown

What Happens After We Defund Police?

Alicia Virani and Leah Gasser-Ordaz from the Criminal Justice Program authored a brief that addresses the question: what happens after we defund police? The brief puts forth a framework for the key elements required for sustainable and meaningful change in jurisdictions that are investing in non-law enforcement responses. It also uplifts 13 different strategies and approaches that can be used as alternatives to law enforcement. In surveying the landscape of such alternatives, the authors identified numerous programs and efforts that are currently in operation and reflect a spirit of innovation, are community-led, and work to address the root causes of conflict, harm, and violence. This brief touches just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these types of solutions.

Read the brief.