Californians Crack Down on Theft, Drug Crime, Replace Los Angeles District Attorney

Californians voted by wide margins to crack down on theft and drug crime, passing Proposition 36 and replacing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon with former U.S. federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman. Prop. 36, which passed with the support of 70.4% of voters as of the time of publication, allows for prosecutors to pursue felony charges for serial thieves and major drug crimes after Prop. 47, passed in 2014, made many only chargeable as misdemeanors that would be rarely prosecuted. Prop. 36 also created a new class of crime called “treatment-mandated felony” that would allow individuals to complete mental health or substance abuse treatment instead of going to prison; this portion of the measure is targeted at the state’s homeless population, which includes many individuals who refuse services and treatment for addictions and disorders.