California officials and residents are expressing frustration over Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to reject funding for a bipartisan crime law, despite efforts to reinforce police presence in the state.
During a press conference on Thursday, Newsom detailed the deployment of highway patrol officers in various California cities. He countered claims made by former President Donald Trump suggesting that California requires help from the National Guard. Local officials and residents feel similarly, emphasizing the need for increased support. A law that garnered 68% voter approval last November—viewed by some as a pathway to excessive incarceration—has become a point of contention, particularly regarding the funding for Proposition 36.
Proposition 36, as outlined, has reclassified theft and property-related misdemeanors, treating them as felonies, and mandates treatment programs for offenders, while allowing for extended prison sentences. Courts can adjust penalties based on the amount of drugs involved in offenses. Newsom’s office stated the governor is focusing on implementing Prop. 36 but has reservations about fully supporting a law that leads to increased incarceration and deprives funding for essential services like mental health and education.
“It’s about mass incarceration, not mass treatment,” Newsom stated regarding the new law rolling out in September 2024.
He mentioned that counties should rely more on their own funds to enforce the law, concurrently agreeing to allocate $100 million from the state budget for information on handling health department needs, pre-trial services, and court fees. Advocates for Prop. 36 claim that approximately $400 million is necessary to ensure proper enforcement. The urgency for funding was highlighted hours after Newsom’s police announcement at Torrance City Hall.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman criticized the slow rollout of the current legislation, suggesting that if prisons are expected to function as treatment centers, they are inadequately equipped.
“We’ll reach out to him through social media, we’ll send him messages,” Hochman said, directing his remarks to the camera. “If you want to save lives, we need the funding.” His office has filed over 1,600 theft-related cases since Prop. 36’s enactment, with support from local law enforcement officials who also rallied for funding in Torrance.”
Proposition 36 further amended Proposition 47, which had downgraded theft under $950 from felony to misdemeanor status. After Proposition 47 was passed in 2014, there was a noticeable rise in property crimes. However, reports suggest that theft crime rates have decreased by over 7% between 2010 and 2022.
Despite these developments, the Newsom administration emphasizes that funding for drug and mental health treatments has continued under both propositions, claiming adequate financial resources were already in place prior to Prop. 36.
Some individuals feel that Newsom is falling short of providing necessary support.
“Without the legal tools necessary for confronting repeat offenders—particularly those struggling with addiction—crime response teams will face ongoing challenges much like local police do,” one observer noted. “Proposition 36 aims to give law enforcement the authority to impose mandatory felony charges, ensuring addicts receive needed rehabilitation, rather than perpetually cycling in and out of custody.”
Criticism of Newsom’s strategy comes from multiple fronts, including both Republicans and Democrats, who have accused him of neglecting voters’ wishes regarding the full implementation of the crime law. A local business owner previously commented that Newsom’s actions have hindered efforts to combat shoplifting effectively.
Newsom has called efforts to deploy highway patrols in six California regions part of an evolving strategy. He initially began sending officers to high-crime areas like Oakland in 2023. Both Oakland and Compton ranked among the highest for murder rates in 2024.
While some liberal governors have pointed to higher murder rates in Republican-led states to alleviate concerns about crime in California, data shows that the state’s rates of violent crime and felony arrests often exceed those in many other regions.
In 2024, violent crime rates in California fell by 6%, yet remained approximately 10.8% higher than pre-2019 figures.
Recently, Trump suggested that Washington should allocate more federal resources to address crime in liberal cities, highlighting San Francisco’s struggles. “Look at what the Democrats did to San Francisco. They ruined it. We can clean it up,” he remarked.
The Newsom administration criticized Trump’s proposal to send troops to cities like Los Angeles, accusing him of militarizing urban areas. “If Trump wants to help, he should focus on supporting counties in cleaning up their streets,” an advocate stated. “If Prop. 36 were funded appropriately, we wouldn’t risk National Guard deployment.”
