The effort to roll back decades of tough-on-crime legislation continues on the November ballot.
Proposition 47 would reduce a number of non-violent felony crimes, to misdemeanors and allow prisoners serving time for those felonies to request a re-sentencing.
The Legislative Analyst's Office said Proposition 47 would save hundreds of millions of dollars annually by reducing prison populations.
"What it does is redirect the money, to invest in the future, in kids to keep them in school," said former San Diego police chief, William Lansdowne, who co-authored the proposition. "It provides treatment for addiction, which are some of the things the crime issue is all about," he said.
San Diego County Deputy District Attorney David Greenberg is against Proposition 47. He said downgrading crimes, such as personal drug possession, will hinder crime prevention.
"Drugs are a motivator for a lot of crimes. Low-level crimes to high-level crimes. We don't believe that this proposition will allow us to intervene and do forced intervention on these individuals, so that those crimes don't get committed," said Greenberg.
Proposition 47 supporters want that money funneled into truancy and mental health programs. Opponents argue not all the crimes included should be reduced; and counties can't properly supervise the additional misdemeanor offenders.
