Prop
47

Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. Initiative Statute.

Summary

Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures

Requires misdemeanor sentence instead of felony for certain drug and property offenses. Inapplicable to persons with prior conviction for serious or violent crime and registered sex offenders. Fiscal Impact: State and county criminal justice savings potentially in the high hundreds of millions of dollars annually. State savings spent on school truancy and dropout prevention, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and victim services.

What Your Vote Means

YES A YES vote on this measure means: Criminal offenders who commit certain nonserious and nonviolent drug and property crimes would be sentenced to reduced penalties (such as shorter terms in jail). State savings resulting from the measure would be used to support school truancy and dropout prevention, victim services, mental health and drug abuse treatment, and other programs designed to keep offenders out of prison and jail.

NO A NO vote on this measure means: Penalties for offenders who commit certain nonserious and nonviolent drug and property crimes would not be reduced.

Arguments

PRO Changes low-level nonviolent crimes, such as simple drug possession and petty theft from felonies to misdemeanors. Authorizes felonies for registered sex offenders and anyone previously convicted of rape, murder or child molestation. Saves hundreds of millions of dollars every year and funds schools, crime victims, mental health and drug treatment.

CON Potentially releases 10,000 felons from state prison. Reduces penalties for stealing guns. Reduces penalties for possession of "date rape" drugs. Opposed by prosecutors, law enforcement, and the business community. Opposed by crime victims and sexual abuse victims. Vote NO on Proposition 47.

For Additional Information

For
Yes on 47
(510) 550-5486
campaign@safetyandschools.com
VoteYes47.com
Against
John Lovell
California Police Chiefs
Association
1127 11th Street, Ste. 523
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-3820
jlovell@johnlovell.com
www.californiapolicechiefs.org