Robert Presley Center of Crime and Justice Studies |

California Supreme Court Shrinks Role of Cash Bail in Jailings

3/25/21: The Supreme Court of California ruled judges must consider an arrestee's ability to pay bail. Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar wrote in the opinion, "The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional." Judges will decide what "affordable" bail is and assess the risk a defendant poses to the public. The court decision does not abolish cash-bail altogether.

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AB 2542 - The California Racial Justice Act | September 30, 2020

Governor Newsom approved Ash Kalra’s (D-San Jose) AB 2542, which prohibits discrimination based on race and ethnicity in the state’s justice system. The Act amends the penal code, making it possible for a person charged or convicted of a crime to challenge racial bias through evidence of biased judges, attorneys, language, jury selection, and sentencing disparities.

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Presley Center to Evaluate Statewide P2E Program

Contract awarded by the California Workforce Development Board

Senator Robert Presley Scholarship Fund

Help train the next generation of criminal justice policy leaders and change makers! Today, we invite you to invest in our students, who are eager to make their mark on the criminal justice system and hard at work preparing for their careers through specialized trainings, hands-on learning, and research opportunities.

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A Statement by the Presley Center

We are deeply grieved by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, only a few of the violent acts that target and cause significant damage to the African-American community and communities of color. The Presley Center stands with the community to seek justice for victims of police brutality and misconduct, as well as victims of racial bias and hate crimes. It is up to all of us to acknowledge such disparities and injustices and work toward their end. The criminal justice system, responsible for protecting all citizens, needs to do better and those who carry out such acts must be held accountable. We support the peaceful and legitimate protests that call for these reforms and justice. As a research center, we hope our evidence-based research efforts can provide even the smallest contribution to help eradicate inequities within the criminal justice system and promote equal treatment and justice for all. We share your sorrow and anger, and are committed to listening and being part of this important conversation.

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California Bail Reform – Voters Decide Proposition 25 & SB 10 Controversy

Presley Center Bulletin | Volume 2, Issue 1

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Presley Center News and Updates

• Awarded a contract with the California Workforce Development Board to evaluate the efficacy of the Prison to Employment (P2E) statewide initiative.

• Welcomed three new student interns for 2020-2021: Arleth Flores Aparicio, Sam Habibi, and Lennin Kuri.

• Received a grant from The John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation to study hiring and employment opportunities for the formerly incarcerated in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

• Awarded three scholarships to justice-impacted students at UCR

Our Vision

The Presley Center aims to become one of the regionally recognized Centers for criminal justice and criminological research. As such, policymakers and criminal justice leaders can rely on applied, theoretical and evidence-based studies produced by the Center affiliates to inform their practices. Moreover, our vision is also to disseminate research findings to the larger community through expert speakers and hosting conferences that cover an array of criminal justice topics. We hope these efforts will ultimately improve crime policies and public safety.

Our Vision

Our Mission

The mission of the Center, as it is articulated in the Penal Code, is to conduct research toward the following goals:

To better protect the public from crime by determining the causes of, and means of preventing, violence, crime, and criminal deviance
To identify the methods and practices necessary for the most beneficial operation of law enforcement and local and state youth and adult correctional institutions
To reduce violence and recidivism rates in prisons, jails, and youth facilities

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