Report finds lack of police efficiency leading to fewer arrests in CA

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A new report released by the Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice on Thursday finds that despite the huge increases in police funding, departments are solving fewer crimes than ever. The report claims the real crisis is lack of police efficiency.

"California's crime debate has been completely misguided. We have been looking at the wrong things," says Dr. Mike Males, Senior Research Fellow at the San Francisco-based company.

The report concludes that despite increased funding, California police and sheriff's departments are solving fewer crimes over the past three decades.

"Back in 1990, the average officer on the street in California made 30 arrests per year, on average. Today, it's down to about 10 arrests per officer on average," says Dr. Males.

That is a 69% decrease according to the report, while there has been 408 percent increase in law enforcement funding relative to arrests. The report also finds that from 1990 to 2023, volent crimes dropped by 45%. With more money and resources, Males argues arrests should be up.

"It's a mystery. We don't know why police efficiency and sheriff efficiency has declined so much. It has occurred in liberal and conservative jurisdictions alike. The police are simply making fewer arrests and fewer arrests per reported crime," says Dr. Males.

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The report looks at the crime clearance rate, which is the number of crimes solved by arrests. That dropped 41% since 1990. The data shows 22% of crimes were solved in 1990. But just 13% were solved in 2023.

Males adds, the drop is not because of criminal justice reforms or lack of prosecutions, which critics often blame for rising crime.

"Prosecutors are focusing more efficiently on serious offences. So, we are actually getting tougher on crime at the prosecution level. But where we are getting softer on crime, is at the law enforcement level because they are making fewer arrests," says Males.

"It's the absence of crime that is the true test of efficiency for any law enforcement agency," explains Greg Woods, a professor in the Department of Justice Studies at San Jose State University.

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Professor Woods argues if crime is down, policing is working. He adds, a lot has changed since the 1990s. Crime syndicates are more sophisticated. The are fewer police recruits. And following the George Floyd murder, communities were calling for more police reform.

"It wasn't too long ago that we were demanding almost a hands-off approach by law enforcement by demanding alternatives to incarceration, arrests," says Woods.

Males acknowledges those challenges. But the reports also suggests that some officers might also be protesting reforms through intentional work slowdowns.

The report states: "This is a crisis of resource misallocation and operational inefficiency. This unprecedented inefficiency is enough to erode public confidence in law enforcement's ability to protect communities."