Stricter Penalties for Theft and Drug Offenses Target Vulnerable Populations, Worsening Homelessness and Addiction

Invisible People: Last September, Donald Trump promised that, if reelected, “We will immediately stop all of the pillaging and theft. Very simply: If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store.”

Too often, it feels like we make a few tiny steps forward only to trip and stumble ten steps back. This is what Proposition 36 feels like today.

What is Proposition 36?

California voters recently approved Proposition 36 with 68.9% in favor, ushering in stricter penalties for theft and drug offenses, including possession. Under Prop 36, a third misdemeanor can now be elevated to a felony, and individuals with prior convictions caught possessing fentanyl will face felony charges.

However, this measure disproportionately impacts California’s most vulnerable populations, including poor and homeless people, as well as those struggling with addiction. Prop 36 represents a stark example of the aggressive criminalization of homelessness and poverty.

In response to overdoses, homelessness, and retail theft, it makes sense that Californians want solutions that will help. Voters do want services and programs that will heal, not harm. We know this from Million Voters Project canvassers who contacted California voters to find that two-thirds of voters said they opposed this proposition that favors criminalization. Why did we see such heavy support for Prop 36 in the ballots if that’s the case?

In a Nutshell? Misinformation.

While canvassers reached as far as they could, the sea of misinformation, negative messaging, and an uneven playing field was too big and strong to break through.

Supporters and backers of Prop 36, including law enforcement groups, prison lobby groups, and big-name companies like Target, Home Depot, and Walmart, poured money into a campaign that spread a very misleading message but straight-up lies. These lies promised “mass treatment” in response to the skyrocketing overdose deaths and rise in fentanyl addiction. They also claimed their solution of mass incarceration would ramp up drug treatment and even combat homelessness.

The truth is it will do the opposite.

Read the full article: Proposition 36: A Step Backward for Justice in California