Los Angeles residents show overwhelming support for new DA Nathan Hackman as California voters decisively turn away from a decade of progressive criminal justice reforms. In a recent state election, voters passed Proposition 36 by a landslide, signaling a return to tougher crime policies.
“Crime is Illegal Again”
The most significant change in this election is the repeal of key provisions from Proposition 47, enacted in 2014. That law had downgraded thefts under $950 and drug possession from felonies to misdemeanors. According to the Public Policy Institute, theft incidents increased by 9% within two years of the law’s implementation and surged by 28% following the pandemic.
“There’s serious violence happening on our streets,” said Venice District Council member Soledad Ursula. “People are being stabbed and murdered.”
Fall of Progressive Prosecutors
The election also marked a widespread departure of progressive law enforcement leaders. George Gascón, the Los Angeles County District Attorney who spearheaded Proposition 47, failed to secure re-election, while San Francisco Mayor London Breed was also voted out of office.
Notably, at the federal level, California native Kamala Harris’s candidacy fell significantly short of the vote share Biden received four years ago.
“Failure of Progressive Policies”
Tom Wolf, a recovered homeless person turned activist, pointed out, “Progressive policies don’t work without basic security in place.” He added, “People only vote progressively when they feel safe and can earn money.”
The newly passed Proposition 36 classifies theft under $950 as a felony for offenders with two or more prior theft convictions. It also gives drug offenders the option to choose mandatory treatment programs instead of jail time.
Despite attempts by Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislators to block the proposition, it passed with 68.9% voter approval. Experts analyze this election outcome as evidence of California’s shifting political landscape.
