Is Retail Theft on the Rise in California? Expert Panel Says It Needs More Data

California lawmakers wanted to know if retail theft has increased in the past decade, so they turned to the experts. But after months of research and hearings, the state’s Little Hoover Commission issued a report July 11 saying more data is needed. “California needs comprehensive data collection and analysis to better tackle retail theft and its impacts,” the report said. “California’s Department of Justice has made a fine start in collecting criminal-justice related data, but this effort needs to be expanded significantly.” Dozens of lawmakers sent a letter to the commission on June 14, 2023, asking for an investigation after “rising crime rates in 2021” led to criticism of Proposition 47, which voters passed  in 2014 to lower prison populations by changing some drug and theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. A proposal to increase such penalties  is on the November ballot, as Prop. 47 critics say the law  limits law enforcement officials and prosecutors....