Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
Proposition 47 will reduce the penalties of some crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor. The California ballot measure passed Tuesday night with a wide margin.
Supporters argue Prop 47 will go far toward fixing a broken judicial system. Critics are concerned about what this will mean for public safety and how well prosecutors and judges can determine who qualifies under the measure.
"Yes, the 'superstrike' guys, the people who they can say this guy is going to commit a murder if we let him out, they're not getting out," said Sean Hoffman, the director of legislation with the California District Attorneys Association, a group that came out against the measure. "But there are a number of very violent individuals that we believe will get out as a result of this."
For more, Take Two is joined by Keramet Reiter, professor at UC Irvine's Department of Criminology, Law and Society and also with UCI's School of Law.