Yes on Proposition 36
California Propositions
Candidate
#digitaldebate
“
The Three Strikes Reform Act, Proposition 36, is supported
by a broad bipartisan coalition of law enforcement leaders, civil
rights organizations and taxpayer advocates because it will:
• MAKE THE PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME
Precious financial and law enforcement resources should
not be improperly diverted to impose life sentences for some
non-violent offenses. Prop. 36 will assure that violent repeat
offenders are punished and not released early.
• SAVE CALIFORNIA OVER $100 MILLION EVERY
YEAR
Taxpayers could save over $100 million per year—money that
can be used to fund schools, fight crime and reduce the state’s
deficit. The Three Strikes law will continue to punish dangerous
career criminals who commit serious violent crimes—keeping
them off the streets for 25 years to life.
• MAKE ROOM IN PRISON FOR DANGEROUS FELONS
Prop. 36 will help stop clogging overcrowded prisons with
non-violent offenders, so we have room to keep violent felons
off the streets.
• LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT
Prosecutors, judges and police officers support Prop. 36
because Prop. 36 helps ensure that prisons can keep dangerous
criminals behind bars for life. Prop. 36 will keep dangerous
criminals off the streets.
• TAXPAYER SUPPORT
Prop. 36 could save $100 million every year. Grover Norquist,
President of Americans for Tax Reform says, “The Three
Strikes Reform Act is tough on crime without being tough on
taxpayers. It will put a stop to needlessly wasting hundreds of
millions in taxpayers’ hard-earned money, while protecting
people from violent crime.” The California State Auditor
projects that taxpayers will pay millions to house and pay health
care costs for non-violent Three Strikes inmates if the law is not
changed. Prop. 36 will save taxpayers’ money.
• TOUGH AND SMART ON CRIME
Criminal justice experts and law enforcement leaders carefully
crafted Prop. 36 so that truly dangerous criminals will receive no
benefits whatsoever from the reform. Repeat criminals will get
life in prison for serious or violent third strike crimes. Repeat
offenders of non-violent crimes will get more than double the
ordinary sentence. Any defendant who has ever been convicted
of an extremely violent crime—such as rape, murder, or child
molestation—will receive a 25 to life sentence, no matter how
minor their third strike offense.
JOIN US
With the passage of Prop. 36, California will retain the
toughest recidivist Three Strikes law in the country but will be
fairer by emphasizing proportionality in sentencing and will
provide for more evenhanded application of this important law.
Please join us by Voting Yes on Proposition 36.
Learn more at www.FixThreeStrikes.org
STEVE COOLEY, District Attorney
Los Angeles County
GEORGE GASCON, District Attorney
San Francisco City and County
DAVID MILLS, Professor
Stanford Law School
”
Rebuttal by No on Proposition 36
- October 03, 2012 12:51 PM
“
HERE’S WHAT THE SUPPORTERS OF PROPOSITION
36 DON’T TELL YOU:
• A hidden provision in 36 will allow thousands of dangerous
criminals to get their prison sentence REDUCED and
then RELEASED FROM PRISON early. According to the
Fresno Bee:
“If Proposition 36 passes, about 3,000 convicted felons serving
life terms under Three Strikes could petition for a reduced
sentence . . . ”
• Some of these dangerous criminals will be released
WITHOUT STATE PAROLE OR ANY LAW
ENFORCEMENT SUPERVISION. According to the
Independent Legislative Analyst:
“Third strikers who are resentenced under this measure would
become eligible for county community supervision upon their release
from prison, rather than state parole . . . some of them could be
released from prison without community supervision.”
• PROPOSITION 36 IS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY.
Prosecutors and judges already have the power to
implement Three Strikes fairly. Here’s what the President of
the District Attorneys Association says:
“Judges and Prosecutors don’t need Proposition 36. In fact, it reduces
our ability to use Three Strikes to target dangerous repeat felons and
get them off the streets once and for all.”
• 36 IS OPPOSED BY EVERY MAJOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION AND VICTIM
RIGHTS GROUP, including those representing California
police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and police officers.
Note that the supporters of 36 can’t name a single law
enforcement organization on their side!
• 36 WON’T REDUCE TAXES. Government doesn’t spend
too much fighting crime. It spends too little. More crime
costs taxpayers too!
We urge you to SAVE Three Strikes. Please Vote NO on 36.
CHIEF RICK BRAZIEL, President
California Peace Officers Association
HENRY T. NICHOLAS, III, Ph.D., Author
California’s Victims Bill of Rights
CHRISTINE WARD, Executive Director
Crime Victims Action Alliance
”
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No on Proposition 36
California Propositions
Candidate
#digitaldebate
“
In 1994 voters overwhelmingly passed the Three Strikes law
—a law that increased prison sentences for repeat felons. And it
worked! Almost immediately, our state’s crime rate plummeted
and has remained low, even during the current recession. The
reason is pretty simple. The same criminals were committing
most of the crime—cycling through our courts and jails—over
and over again. The voters said enough—Three Strikes and
You’re Out!
In 2004, the ACLU and other opponents of tough criminal
laws tried to change Three Strikes. The voters said NO. Now
they are back again with Proposition 36. They couldn’t fool us
last time and they won’t fool us this time.
Just like before, Proposition 36 allows dangerous criminals
to get their prison sentence REDUCED and then RELEASED
FROM PRISON! So who does Proposition 36 apply to?
• Criminals so dangerous to society that a District Attorney
chose to charge them with a Three Strike offense;
• Criminals so dangerous that a Judge agreed with DA’s
decision to charge;
• Criminals so dangerous that a jury convicted them of that
offense;
• Criminals so dangerous that a Judge imposed a 25-to-life
prison sentence; and
• Criminals whose legal appeals were denied.
After all that, Proposition 36 would let those same criminals
ask a DIFFERENT Judge to set them free. Worse yet, some
of these criminals will be released from prison WITHOUT
PAROLE OR ANY SUPERVISION!
Here’s what the Independent Legislative Analyst says about
the early release of some prisoners under Proposition 36:
“Some of them could be released from prison without community
supervision.”
No wonder Proposition 36 is OPPOSED by California
Police, Sheriff’s and law enforcement groups, including:
California Police Chiefs Association
California State Sheriff’s Association
California District Attorneys Association
Peace Officers Research Association of California
Los Angeles Police Protective League
What do you think these newly released hardened criminals
will do once they get out of prison? We already know the answer
to that: They will commit more crimes, harm or kill more
innocent victims, and ultimately end up right where they are
today—back in prison. All of this will cost taxpayers more than
keeping them behind bars right where they belong.
No wonder Proposition 36 is opposed by victim rights
groups, including:
Crime Victims United of California
Crime Victim Action Alliance
Citizens Against Homicide
Criminal Justice Legal Foundation
At the time Three Strikes was approved by the voters, some
thought it might be too harsh or too costly. Voters rejected
that view in 2004. But even if you believe that the Thee Strikes
law should be reformed, Proposition 36 is not the answer.
Any change to the sentencing laws should only apply to future
crimes committed—it should not apply to criminals already
behind bars—cutting their sentences short. It is simply not fair
to the victims of crime to have to relive the pain of resentencing
and early release of these dangerous criminals. We kindly ask
you to VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 36.
www.save3strikes.com
SHERIFF KEITH ROYAL, President
California State Sheriff’s Association
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CARL ADAMS, President
California District Attorneys Association
HARRIET SALERNO, President
Crime Victims United of California
”
Rebuttal by Yes on Proposition 36
- October 03, 2012 12:51 PM
“
Don’t believe the scare tactics used by opponents of Prop. 36.
Here are the facts:
• Prop. 36 requires that murderers, rapists, child molesters,
and other dangerous criminals serve their full sentences.
• Prop. 36 saves taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
• Prop. 36 still punishes repeat offenders of nonviolent crimes
by doubling their state prison sentences.
Today, dangerous criminals are being released early from
prison because jails are overcrowded with nonviolent offenders
who pose no risk to the public. Prop. 36 prevents dangerous
criminals from being released early. People convicted of
shoplifting a pair of socks, stealing bread or baby formula don’t
deserve life sentences.
Prop. 36 is supported by law enforcement leaders, including:
• Steve Cooley, District Attorney of Los Angeles County
• Jeffrey Rosen, District Attorney of Santa Clara County
• George Gascon, District Attorney of San Francisco City
and County
• Charlie Beck, Chief of Police of Los Angeles
They know that Prop. 36:
• Requires: Life sentences for dangerous criminals who
commit serious and violent crimes.
• Makes the Punishment Fit the Crime: Stop wasting valuable
police and prison resources on nonviolent offenders.
• Saves Over $100 Million Every Year.
STEVE COOLEY, District Attorney
Los Angeles County
JEFFREY F. ROSEN, District Attorney
Santa Clara County
CHARLIE BECK
Chief of Police of Los Angeles
”
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