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Bill

SB 319

Criminal justice statistics: reporting.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Angelique Ashby

SB 319 mandates California law enforcement agencies standardize and publicly report criminal justice statistics to increase transparency and enable identification of systemic disparities.

May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
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Bill Summary · SB 319

Legislative bill overview

SB 319 requires California law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system to collect, standardize, and publicly report comprehensive statistics on arrests, prosecutions, and convictions. The bill aims to create transparency and accountability by making criminal justice data more accessible and comparable across jurisdictions.

Why is this important

Criminal justice transparency enables policymakers, researchers, and the public to identify disparities, evaluate reform effectiveness, and hold agencies accountable. Standardized reporting also helps identify systemic issues like racial disparities in policing and prosecution that might otherwise remain hidden in fragmented local databases.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation burden: Law enforcement agencies may face significant costs and administrative challenges in standardizing data collection systems, potentially stretching limited budgets
  • Privacy and liability concerns: Detailed criminal justice statistics could reveal sensitive information about individuals or create targets for lawsuits against agencies
  • Data quality and accuracy: Mandating reporting doesn't guarantee data quality; inconsistent record-keeping across agencies may produce misleading statistics that drive flawed policy conclusions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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