The November 2016 ballot could have a measure allowing California voters to reform, once again, the 1994 Three Strikes Law.
Twice before, in 2012 and 2014, Californians changed the Three Strikes Law, allowing non-violent offenders to be re-sentenced, after a court found they were not a danger to public safety.
The latest proposed reform would require re-sentencing of those individuals currently serving a Three Strikes sentence whose prior convictions were committed before March 7, 1994. Upwards of 9,000 three-strike prisoners might be affected by this change. It would also affect two-strike prisoners, numbering in tens of thousands. If the measure passes, it would be retroactively applied to all strikers.
The Act was drafted to address the following issues:
Prevention and protection efforts concerning public safety.
Save hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars every year as the state will no longer finance long-term health care and housing of aging low-risk offenders in state prison.
Re-invest annual savings into high poverty middle schools and high schools, universities, community colleges and prison rehabilitation programs.
The reinvestment savings would be distributed as follows:
Twenty-five percent to the high poverty middle schools and high schools in California
Twenty-five percent to the California Community Colleges to offset tuition
Twenty-five percent to the Universities of California to offset tuition
Twenty-five percent to prison rehabilitation programs
The proposed Three Strikes Reform Act of 2016 would “ensure that sentences for people convicted of violent crimes such as murder, rape and child molestation are not changed.”
Proponents of the measure must get 365,880 signatures of registered voters by March 14 to qualify for the November 2016 ballot.
