In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47, known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, which reclassified some felonies—including theft, fraud, and forgery for amounts under $950, and possession of many illegal drugs for personal use—as misdemeanors. The initiative passed with nearly 60 percent approval.

But in November, Californians will vote on whether to modify Proposition 47. Reflecting voter concerns regarding drug use, crime, and homelessness, a new ballot initiative, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, will appear on California’s November ballot after having gathered over 900,000 signatures.

The proposition increases penalties and sentences for possession of certain drugs and calls for felony charges for thefts under $950 when the individual has two prior theft convictions. Defendants would have drug possession charges dismissed if they plead guilty and complete a drug treatment program. It would also increase sentences for other drug and theft crimes. Supporters of the new initiative include Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose and Mayor London Breed of San Francisco, and associations representing peace officers, district attorneys, and retail businesses.

What has changed since 2014 to lead to this potential reversal? Proposition 47 has nearly decriminalized retail theft under $950, because only 6.6 percent of reported Proposition 47 crimes result in an arrest; some arrests are not prosecuted; retailers do not report all theft, because they don’t feel it is worth their time; and even when there is an arrest, prosecution, and conviction, the penalty may be minor.

Moreover, the homeless population—among whom substance abuse is very high and crime rates are much higher than among the general population—has increased nearly 60 percent in the last 10 years. As crime has increased, and as some neighborhoods within San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and other California cities suffer as homeless camps proliferate on sidewalks and businesses........

© Hoover Institution