California’s latest attempt to handle one of the perpetual subjects of progressive complaint, jail and prison overpopulation supposedly caused by “over-incarceration,” has proven once again what should not need re-proving: going easy on criminals results in more crime.
Back in 2014, nearly 60% of Californians voted in favor of Proposition 47, which sought to thin out jails and prisons by downgrading many “nonviolent, nonserious” felonies to misdemeanors and allowing some prisoners to be eligible for re-sentencing for more lenient terms (see summary below). The measure ostensibly saved the state millions in incarceration costs, but while that particular budget line might look better, the state and its residents have suffered as a result.
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