Proposition 20 offers a mix of policies meant to make state laws tougher on crime.
If passed, there are three main things it would amend in the state constitution:
- Increase penalties for some kinds of stealing
- Make it harder for people to get out of prison on supervised release
- Require the government to collect DNA samples in more criminal cases
Just six years ago, Californians voted to reduce punishments for some types of stealing. Voters set the bar at $950. If the crime is under the $950 level, the charges are usually petty theft and a misdemeanor. If the crime is more than $950, it could mean felony charges.
That distinction can mean the difference between a few months in the county jail or a few years in state prison.
The approval of Proposition 20 would allow felony punishment for stealing as little as $250 dollars or property. Specifically, this proposition creates two new theft-related crimes:
Serial Theft – which is stealing after you already have two prior thefts involving property worth more than $250.
Organized Retail Theft – which is repeat group shoplifting where more than $250 in property is stolen within 180 days. Courts have the option to punish these cases as felonies or misdemeanors.
It would add several more crimes to the state’s list of “violent crimes” that disqualify inmates for early release.
Proposition 20’s list includes things like date rape, types of assault, and domestic violence.
Inmates who apply and are rejected for early release would also have to wait two years to reapply under Proposition 20, instead of the current one year.
The DNA samples would be collected from people convicted of specified misdemeanors for the state database… CBS8 News