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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
(202) 776-1566
Legislation’s progress seen as an important step forward
LOS ANGELES—Today, the California Assembly passed SB 649, a sentencing reform law that will give prosecutors greater discretion in charging low-level drug offenders in the state. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is an official co-sponsor of the legislation and, together with its California Affiliates and partners such as Californians for Safety and Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Drug Policy Alliance, has been working actively to advocate for its passage.
“Our number one priority should be keeping our communities safe,” said Danny Montes, NCLR Organizer and Capacity-Building Strategist, “but our current sentencing policies for low-level, nonviolent drug offenders are ineffective and unfair. Besides saddling California taxpayers with the huge cost of overcrowded jails, the current law ensnares people who pose no danger to society instead of working toward educating and rehabilitating them. We applaud the California Assembly for moving this bill forward. A one-size-fits-all punishment for drug-related offenses does not work.”
SB 649 would give prosecutors the authority to adjust a charge for possession of small quantities of drugs from an automatic felony to a misdemeanor/felony based on the merits of the case. There are about 4,000 people in California state prison for possession of small amounts of drugs and thousands more that cycle through county jails. Many of those serving jail time for these crimes are Latinos and Blacks, who are disproportionately charged with low-level drug offenses. Passage of SB 649 would help reduce overcrowding in California prisons and save the state approximately $160 million per year.
“The millions of dollars that would be saved could be put toward programs that help with rehabilitation and drug treatment—strategies that would support reentry into our communities and reduce rates of recidivism,” Montes added. “Burdening those who have committed minor infractions with the lifelong barriers associated with committing a felony does little to ensure that they can rejoin society as contributing members. Passing this reform will help to create a more effective and efficient justice system for California.”
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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