YES on Prop 47: Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act.

Prop 47 will ensure that prison spending is focused on violent and serious offenses and will maximize alternatives for non-serious, nonviolent crime. The savings generated will be invested in prevention and support programs in K-12 schools, victim services, and mental health and drug treatment. Prop 47 will change low-level nonviolent crimes such as simple drug possession and petty theft from felonies to misdemeanors; sentences for people convicted of dangerous crimes like rape, murder, and child molestation will not be changed. The League believes alternatives to imprisonment should be explored and utilized, taking into consideration the circumstances and nature of the crime.

The chief basis of our support for this measure is the League’s Sentencing Policy position adopted in 2012. The growing costs of incarceration and the impact on budget decisions have been a concern for several years. Prop 47 reduces the penalty for certain nonviolent offenses, including simple drug possession and petty theft, to a misdemeanor. One of the major upsides of this is avoiding incarceration of nonviolent first offenders with hardened criminals. Counseling, community supervision and community service increase the possibility of rehabilitation and lower the risk of recidivism.

Savings from this proposal, which could easily be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, will be directed to a new fund, the “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund,” where they can be devoted to prevention and early intervention programs as well as mental health and drug treatment, all areas that are strongly supported by the LWVC.

There will also be savings to county governments as fewer people are sentenced to jail time or community supervision. While not a part of the “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund,” this will free more local dollars to help tight county budgets.

For more information about Prop 47, see Proposition 47: Should California Reduce Penalties for Drug and Property Crimes and Invest in Treatment?; California Budget Project, September 2014, www.cbp.org.

Read here for more information about the Yes on Prop 47 campaign.

Sample Article–Yes on Prop 47

 California is not being smart about incarceration policy. Nor are we being cost effective. We imprison five times as many people as we did 50 years ago, even though the crime rate is about the same. Six out of ten are back in prison within three years of release. It makes no sense to send nonviolent, nonserious offenders to a place filled with hardened repeat offenders and expect them to come out better people.

 All this can change with the passage of Prop 47, which will allow many nonviolent, nonserious crimes, such as writing a bad check, drug possession, and shoplifting, to be treated as misdemeanors and punished by time in jail, not prison. Those committing serious crimes—rape, murder, and sex offenses—would still be sent away for a long time. Those offenders with a past record of serious or violent crimes would be also. Savings will be spent on schools, victims’ support, drug treatment and mental health care.

 This is not some feel-good California idea. As an LA Times op-ed by Newt Gingrich and B. Wayne Hughes points out, South Carolina made similar reforms and has closed a prison and lowered its recidivism rate. Texas did the same seven years ago and has closed three facilities and lowered its violent crime rate. Many other states including Oklahoma, Mississippi and Ohio have adopted similar policies on nonviolent convictions. 

 The League of Women Voters of California supports Prop 47 and urges our members and friends to do the same. Vote YES on Prop 47! For more information, go to www.safetyandschools.com.

Sample Letter to the Editor

Note: Please adapt this letter to your own community and check your local paper’s word limit for a published letter.

Editor:

The League of Women Voters urges a Yes vote on Proposition 47, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act.

Prop 47 will ensure that prison spending is focused on violent and serious offenses and will maximize alternatives for nonserious, nonviolent crime.

The savings generated will be invested in prevention and support programs in K-12 schools, victims’ services, and mental health and drug treatment. Prop 47 will change low-level nonviolent crimes such as simple drug possession and petty theft from felonies to misdemeanors; sentences for people convicted of dangerous crimes like rape, murder, and child molestation will not be changed.

The League believes alternatives to imprisonment should be explored and utilized, taking into consideration the circumstances and nature of the crime. Prop 47’s broad support—from law enforcement leaders, crime victims, teachers, rehabilitation experts, business leaders, faith-based leaders and civil rights organizations—shows they agree.

Vote with the League! Vote “YES” on Proposition 47.

Sincerely,

(name of president)
President
League of Women Voters of __________________

**If you are not a League president or their designee, you are not authorized to sign letters to the editor in the name of the League. You are encouraged, however, to express your views as a Californian and you are welcome to cite that you agree with the League’s position.**