Groups Push for Drug Sentencing Reforms
Three advocacy groups are putting the pressure on Governor Jerry Brown to make some major changes that would both reform sentencing and save the state some much needed money. According to California Watch the groups are basing their recommendations on what they say the public wants.
The American Civil Liberties Union of California, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and the Drug Policy Alliance have come together to ask the governor to reduce nonviolent property crimes and simple drug possession to misdemeanors. Currently they are classified as felonies.
All three groups funded a poll of voters in March and found that 72% favored reducing simple possession to a misdemeanor.
While it’s not clear just how much money the change would save the state, it’s estimated to “yield many millions of dollars”. Brown has already cut $11 billion in spending amidst the $15 billion shortfall but it’s uncertain how amenable lawmakers would be to more sentencing changes, always a controversial matter.
Currently, if you are charged with possession of a controlled substance, you can face 3 years in prison. Changing this to a misdemeanor would set the maximum sentence to one year in county jail. Considering the state spends nearly $50,000 each year to incarcerate a single state inmate, it’s easy to see how this could quickly add up.
In December 2009, there were over 10,000 inmates being held in state prisons for possession charges. According to the California Department of Corrections, this is an estimated annual cost around $500 million.
Though former Governor Schwarzenegger decriminalized possession of less than a single ounce of marijuana, there hasn’t been a significant move to change current possession charges to misdemeanors before.
Between the savings and the reflected public opinions regarding the proposed changes you would think this sort of legislation would be an easy sell. “…It shouldn’t be any problem. Of course, it’s politics so it will be” said the Deputy State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance.
Drug charges are serious offenses in the state of California. Though it’s seen as among the most liberal states with regard to marijuana laws, both passed and rejected, the courts take drug crimes very seriously. If you’ve been charged with possession or felony distribution, contact our attorneys for a free consultation today on any criminal charge.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.