What Criminal Justice Proposals Are on the Ballot This November?

Three proposals directly impact individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

What Criminal Justice Proposals Are on the Ballot This November?

It’s only September, and if you’re like most Americans, you’re already fed up with politics and talk about the upcoming election. The presidential campaigns are in full swing, and many of us are simply tired of the back and forth between President Trump and Vice President Biden.

This election is being billed as the most important of our lifetimes because we are choosing a president. Yet as a criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles, CA can explain, this election is about whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will be in office come January 2021. There are also three ballot initiatives in California that are related to the criminal justice system. Below, we outline these initiatives so that you can make an informed decision about how to vote this November.

Proposition 17: Voting Rights for Previously Incarcerated Individuals

Under current law in California, individuals who are on parole after being released from prison for felony convictions are not permitted to vote. The California state constitution prohibits people with felony convictions from voting until both their incarceration and their parole are completed. As a result, approximately 40,000 Californians are unable to vote. Proposition 17 would change the constitution so that people can vote after being released from prison, while they are still on parole.

Proposition 20: Criminal Sentencing

This proposition would undo many of the criminal justice reforms enacted over the past decade in California. If this proposition passes, judges would be able to impose felony charges on certain theft or fraud crimes that are currently classified as misdemeanor offenses. In addition, drug, theft and other crimes would be added to the list of violent crimes, which would make many inmates ineligible for parole. Finally, it would require people convicted of drug, theft, or domestic violence misdemeanors to submit their DNA so that it could be entered into the state database. This proposition would lead to more people being charged with serious crimes for relatively minor offenses, and would make it much harder for people to get out of prison after being charged with low level offenses.

Proposition 25: Repeal of Cash Bail

This proposition is a referendum on a law passed in 2018 in California in 2018, SB 10. Under SB 10, California’s cash bail system would be replaced by a pretrial release system based on public safety and potential flight right. Voting yes on Prop 25 is a vote to end cash bail in California — a system which often results in significant inequality based on a person’s ability to pay bail. A no vote would keep California’s cash bail system the way that it currently is.

If you have been charged with a crime, the Chambers Law Firm is here for you. We will aggressively advocate for your rights and your freedom, and work to get you the best possible outcome for your case. To schedule a free consultation, contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com.

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