New California state laws aim to curb retail theft and property crimes by empowering prosecutors to charge repeat offenders with felonies and treating fentanyl dealers as potential murderers. The laws also allow for the use of jail time to compel drug offenders into treatment programs. Implementation will vary by county, but the goal is to deter crime through a 'fair but firm' response.
New California crime laws seek to deter retail theft, property crimes. County prosecutors across the state now have the latitude to more readily charge theft cases as felonies when they involve a repeat offender, treat fentanyl dealers as potential murderers, and leverage jail time to compel certain hard drug offenders, particularly those consuming powerful opioids, to enter treatment programs.
What changes can residents expect to see right away? It will depend on the county in which they live, said Jeff Reisig, Yolo County’s district attorney and one of the architects of the new law. “It’s a local control issue,” Reisig said. “Each county and each city will be deciding how aggressively and how quickly these changes are implemented. In some counties, local law enforcement will be empowered to start making felony arrests for retail thefts with priors, drug offenses with priors, and can exercise that discretion immediately.” “We’re going to see more convictions for retail and petty theft,” he added. “Within several months, our hope, and the promise of Proposition 36, is that there will be an obvious deterrent effect that will result in a reduction of at least some of the brazen crime that was witnessed previously.” The California Police Chiefs Association, whose current president is Pleasanton Chief Tracy Avelar, said the state’s police departments “are ready to ensure a fair but firm response to repeat offenders, balancing rehabilitation with accountability. “Continued criminal behavior will result in consequences because the safety of our communities is non-negotiable,” Avelar said in a statement. “Overall, if you’re a repeat offender, don’t expect a cite and release.” Proposition 36 institutes several changes to the state penal code. Regarding serial theft, prosecutors are now allowed to widely aggregate multiple thefts to reach the $950 felony threshold that elevates theft crimes to felonie
CRIMINAL LAW RETAIL THEFT DRUG OFFENSES FENTANYL CALIFORNIA LAW REPEATED OFFENSES
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