CALIFORNIA’S GAP

After the 2014 Reduction of Drug Sentences was passed, California resulted in a substantial decline in felony arrests. From 2014 to 2020, drug arrests among Whites dropped by 70%, compared to 61% among Blacks. While the decline was significant, the gap ratio of Whites to Blacks actually increased slightly from 2.5:1 to roughly 3:1.

However, the gap between Whites and Blacks in sex offenses has decreased dramatically. Since 1984, when sex offenses between Whites and Blacks were roughly 5:1, offenses declined by 70.1% among Whites, compared to 3.5% among Blacks, closing the gap to 1.6:1.