Latest news with #DrugAddictionandTheftReductionAct
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Kern County ranks 1st in California for Prop 36 case filings, voter support: report
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A new report found Kern County ranked first in the state for the rate of cases filed under Proposition 36 as well as voter approval of the new law, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. According to the report, Kern County prosecutors file 24 cases per 100,000 residents, making Kern the county with the highest rate of felony filings using Proposition 36. The county with the next highest rate is Orange County with 18 cases filed per 100,000 residents. Sixty-eight percent of the felony cases filed under Proposition 36 in Kern County were for drug-related offenses, the report said. Kern County also had the highest percentage of voter support for the new law at 77%. PetSmart thief found guilty in first prop 36 trial conviction in Kern County The report says voter approval of Proposition 36 within each county doesn't necessarily correlate with the number of case filings. For instance, Fresno had the third highest share of voter approval for Proposition 36 at 75%, but only files about two cases per 100,000 residents. Kern County was highest both in the percentage of voter support and filing rate, according to the data. According to a survey by California's Judicial Council of the courts conducted in the second half of February and covering most counties, prosecutors have filed about 1,500 theft and 1,900 drug cases, the report said. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in a press release the District Attorney's office was able to prosecute repeat offenders more effectively due to Proposition 36. Prop 36 now in effect, stiffens penalties for 'smash and grab' crimes and drug offenses 'We were out there speaking with residents one-on-one, and their message was clear: they want their communities back,' Zimmer said. 'We will not let them down. This study reflects the results of our collective effort and the community's trust in our office.' Proposition 36, also known as the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, is a state law that went into effect in December. The law aims to increase penalties for certain crimes by reclassifying them as a felony rather than a misdemeanor. It also added fentanyl to the list of controlled substances that would warrant stricter punishments. Under Proposition 36, California residents can be charged with a felony if they have two or more prior convictions related to retail theft or drug possession. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Prop. 36 in action: Man arrested for stealing food from Subway mobile pick-up shelf
In an ongoing push to demonstrate the effects of the recently enacted Prop. 36, formally known as the the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, authorities are drawing attention to cases that wouldn't normally see the light of day. One such case comes from Tuesday in Rancho Cucamonga. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, a man was arrested on suspicion of petty theft with prior convictions. His alleged crime? Stealing a sandwich. 525-pound bear found hiding underneath evacuated Altadena home The 36-year-old man, a Los Angeles resident, was arrested after he allegedly stole food from the mobile order shelf at a Subway in the area of Foothill Boulevard and Spruce Avenue in Ranch Cucamonga. Since he already has a conviction for a petty theft with priors, the penalties for a potential additional petty theft conviction could be upgraded thanks to Prop. 36. That initiative passed overwhelmingly in a statewide vote in November, with nearly 69% of the vote in support. In addition to harsher penalties for repeat offenders, the prop lowered the threshold for a felony charge on theft from $950 worth of stolen goods to $450. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
