thousands of Californians getting felonies reduced to misdemeanors under new law

[Liberal_in_LA]

An answer came in November, when voters passed Proposition 47, an initiative that reduced drug possession and several other nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors. The ballot measure — one of the biggest criminal justice changes in decades — has prompted the release of more than 3,700 inmates from state prison.

Opponents of the measure said it would make California's streets more dangerous by releasing criminals and would strip away much of the incentive that got people into drug treatment — keeping a felony off their record. But another part of the law that drew less attention allows people who have already served their time to ask a court to reduce years-old convictions from felonies to misdemeanors.

Thousands of people, like Burton, have taken advantage. Since the measure passed, judges in Los Angeles County have received more than 6,660 applications to reduce old felonies to misdemeanors. Los Angeles County estimates that as many as 300,000 applications could be filed in cases stretching back decades. (A spokeswoman for the court said officials are not tracking the outcomes of the applications.)




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As a dishwasher studying to become an electrician, Reyes said the new law has given him a burst of energy. He no longer lies anxiously in bed every morning, trying to push away imaginary scenarios in which no matter how hard he worked or studied, an employer would skip over him for an electrician job because of his felony record.

"It's like I was born again," he said. "Right now, the way I feel is like…'Here, go start.'"

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-prop-47-reductions-20150531-story.html#page=1

[bravenak]

1. Good

[kelliekat44]

2. Why not, folks in Colorado are getting rich for doing much more with drugs. nt

[63splitwindow]

3. Total cost of "war on drugs"...

...probably exceeds (dwarfs) the amount this country has spent spent on all other wars combined.