California Department of Justice

California's crime rates declined across all major categories in 2025, with the homicide rate reaching a record low since statewide reporting began in 1966, according to the California Department of Justice.

California's police shooting investigations, transferred to the Department of Justice in 2020 to address conflicts of interest, have closed 41 cases over five years without recommending charges against any officer. Investigations average nearly 2.5 years, exceeding statutes of limitations for certain crimes like involuntary manslaughter and missing deadlines for officer decertification.

California shifted police shooting investigations to the state Department of Justice in 2021, but cases now take an average of two years and five months to resolve, with some exceeding three years. The delay risks statute of limitations expiration, blocking decertification and criminal charges, and 41 completed investigations have never resulted in criminal charges against officers. Jeanelle Couch’s family remains without closure after a three-year investigation into her son’s death by a California Highway Patrol officer.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the creation of an Affordability Response Team within the state Department of Justice to investigate and address unlawful practices contributing to rising costs for Californians. The team will involve experts from across the department to examine potential violations.

A man was shot and killed by the FBI after holding 10 school employees hostage in a Southern California office building, during which he claimed to have explosives strapped to himself and the hostages. All hostages were found unharmed, ending a 15-hour standoff. The suspect, Anthony Scott Searles-Harris, had a history of legal issues including a dishonorable discharge from the Army and registration as a sex offender.

A UC Davis student's 2001 death with 29 stab wounds, ruled a suicide, is re-examined in a true crime podcast after his family raised unanswered questions. The case involved a locked room, no drugs/alcohol, and a disputed suicide note.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a report describing conditions at California ICE detention facilities as cruel and inhumane. The report was compiled after visiting seven detention centers operating in California. The facilities are contracted with ICE.

California has released a report on the conditions at immigrant detention centers, which have worsened under Trump's administration. The report is the fifth one released by the California Department of Justice since 2019. The state enacted a law requiring oversight of these facilities during Trump's first administration.

The California Department of Justice arrested an unnamed L.A. County cardroom dealer for stealing gaming chips from The Gardens Casino in Hawaiian Gardens. The investigation was launched by Attorney General Rob Bonta's office, which issued a media release detailing the case.