California’s Homeless are Dying, and Our Neighborhoods are Less Safe

Proposition 47 or Prop 47 as it is known by many in California, was passed in 2014 by receiving 59.6% of the votes. Current Governor Gavin Newsome and George Gascon, the former San Francisco district attorney appointed by Newsome, along with other political activists called it the ‘Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act’ and it went on the ballot as such. Proponents represented to voters that it would save the state of California at least $130 million annually in court and prison costs that could be invested back into our schools and neighborhoods.

Prop 47 reclassifies certain theft and drug possession felonies to misdemeanors. It also increased the threshold from $400 to $950 for crimes such as shoplifting, grand theft, forgery and writing bad checks. It also allows defendants who were previously serving sentences that were classified as felonies that would have been classified as misdemeanors under Prop 47 to petition for resentencing. Additionally, it allows for those who have already served sentences for felonies for those crimes to be reclassified as misdemeanors on their records.

In 2014 marijuana was not a legal substance and that is where the political activists focused their argument and basis for passing Prop 47. They lobbied and campaigned that sending them to jail for marijuana-related possession felonies was too punishing and too expensive for incarceration. They stressed the concept of rehabilitation for offenders. At the time there was little attention brought to the other illegal substances included in the law and what this would do to the crime rates. Here’s what they conveniently didn’t tell you:

1. The proposed cost savings from removing the inmates from state prisons was shifted to an expense at the county jails. They played the shell game here and so it was not even close or remotely close to the meaningful savings that were promised. LA County counted on Prop 47 to save money. It hasn’t yet — Daily News.html.
2. Prop 47 includes drug-related crimes for possession of illegal substances such as heroin, cocaine, meth, and fentanyl that are now reduced to misdemeanors.
3. Since Prop 47 was passed there have been over 5,000 inmates that have been released from state prisons into our communities including drug dealers and sex offenders for possession of a date rape drug.
4. Since Prop 47, the judges no longer have the power to mandate drug treatment as a sentencing option. The sentence for a drug-related misdemeanor is now six months in county jail. There is no longer an incentive to attend a treatment program that will last for 12 to 18 months.
5. Enrollment for treatment programs is down over 50% in LA County and now the homeless missions on Skid Row have vacancies which is not a positive trend.
6. Prop 47 reduced the possession of date rape drugs to a misdemeanor which significantly reduces the ability to fight sex crimes. DNA samples are only taken from felony suspects.

I am willing to bet that many people including myself were not aware of all of this at the time it was on the ballot. Some have quipped that the ‘Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act’ should be called the ‘ Make Our Neighborhoods and Schools Less Safe Act’ as drug offenders go free and drug addicts are disincentivized to seek help and continue to commit crimes such as shoplifting, dealing, and writing bad checks to support their habits.

Prop 47 needs to be repealed and a new law introduced to reduce the threshold from $950 to $250 for certain theft crimes. Possession of illegal and deadly substances such as heroin, crystal meth, cocaine, and fentanyl need to be reclassified as felonies again, especially since marijuana is now legal. I’m a recovering alcoholic and I do not recall ever meeting a recreational user of meth and/or heroin.

Please take the time to educate yourself on Prop 47 and its failures Take the time to write your congressperson expressing your concerns and desires to repeal it by supporting the California Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative which will repeal many of the largely unsuccessful criminal justice reforms including Prop 47. In 2018, former Governor Brown was successful in keeping it off of the ballot even though it had enough signatures. This must get on the ballot and be voted on in November 2020!!!

The homeless need longer-term solutions and permanent supportive housing for mental health and substance abuse. Many of the homeless desire help as I have worked with them as a volunteer on Skid Row. Homeless mothers always seem to want to do what’s best for their children. The state has more money than ever and yet does not have the solutions to end homelessness. The homeless continue to suffer from substance abuse and mental health issues without the needed support. Our neighborhoods and schools deserve to be safe again. We all want that…

Steve