excalibur
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- Mar 19, 2015
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Even Californians are waking up to the crime problem. Prop 36 received over 70% approval. A crime problem exacerbated by Democrats.
California voters approved a ballot measure that would reclassify some misdemeanor theft and drug crimes as felonies, essentially undoing a previous ballot measure that big-box retailers and law enforcement officials have long blamed for increases in theft, property crime and homelessness.
Voters approved state Proposition 36 by a whopping margin of 40 percentage points, or 70.6% to 29.4%, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s general election. The ballot measure needed only a simple majority (50% plus one vote) to pass. The race was called by the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle shortly after 9 p.m. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)
In 2014, voters passed Prop. 47, which aimed to curb overcrowding in California’s prisons by turning some drug and theft crimes into misdemeanors. Among other things, the measure famously said shoplifters who stole $950 or less in goods from stores could only be charged with a misdemeanor, whereas in the past, prosecutors could charge those offenders with a felony.
Under Prop. 36, the theft of $950 of goods or less from stores is now classified as a felony punishable by up to three years if the offender has “two or more past convictions for certain theft crimes (such as shoplifting, burglary or carjacking).” It also lengthens felony sentences by up to three years if at least three people jointly commit a theft or property crime, and requires that some felonies — such as dealing drugs like fentanyl — be served in state prison and not county jail.
The measure also establishes a new category of crime, called “treatment-mandated felony,” which allows those charged with drug possession who don’t contest the charges to complete drug treatment and have their charges dismissed instead of being incarcerated. However, if they don’t finish treatment, they could serve in state prison for up to three years.
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California voters approved a ballot measure that would reclassify some misdemeanor theft and drug crimes as felonies, essentially undoing a previous ballot measure that big-box retailers and law enforcement officials have long blamed for increases in theft, property crime and homelessness.
Voters approved state Proposition 36 by a whopping margin of 40 percentage points, or 70.6% to 29.4%, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s general election. The ballot measure needed only a simple majority (50% plus one vote) to pass. The race was called by the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle shortly after 9 p.m. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)
In 2014, voters passed Prop. 47, which aimed to curb overcrowding in California’s prisons by turning some drug and theft crimes into misdemeanors. Among other things, the measure famously said shoplifters who stole $950 or less in goods from stores could only be charged with a misdemeanor, whereas in the past, prosecutors could charge those offenders with a felony.
Under Prop. 36, the theft of $950 of goods or less from stores is now classified as a felony punishable by up to three years if the offender has “two or more past convictions for certain theft crimes (such as shoplifting, burglary or carjacking).” It also lengthens felony sentences by up to three years if at least three people jointly commit a theft or property crime, and requires that some felonies — such as dealing drugs like fentanyl — be served in state prison and not county jail.
The measure also establishes a new category of crime, called “treatment-mandated felony,” which allows those charged with drug possession who don’t contest the charges to complete drug treatment and have their charges dismissed instead of being incarcerated. However, if they don’t finish treatment, they could serve in state prison for up to three years.
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