Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris (Pic credit: AP) Vice President Kamala Harris refrained from disclosing her stance on a significant California ballot measure aimed at reversing recent criminal justice reforms whilst campaigning in Michigan. She confirmed that her mail-in ballot was en route to California, two days before Election Day.
“I am not going to talk about the vote on that. Because honestly it’s the Sunday before the election and I don’t intend to create an endorsement one way or another around it,” said Harris, who previously served as San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general and US senator prior to her 2020 vice presidential election.
The proposed measure would classify repeat shoplifting offences as felonies and strengthen penalties for certain drug-related charges, including those involving fentanyl. Additionally, it would empower judges to mandate treatment for individuals with multiple drug offences.
Supporters argue that the initiative addresses crucial gaps in current legislation that have hindered law enforcement’s ability to effectively prosecute shoplifters and drug dealers.
Democratic state officials and social justice advocates oppose the measure, arguing it would unfairly imprison economically disadvantaged individuals and those struggling with substance use, rather than targeting the organisers who employ groups to steal goods for online resale.
Crime management has become a central focus in California’s current election cycle.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed faces re-election challenges from opponents who criticise her city management.
Simultaneously, Alameda County district attorney Pamela Price confronts a recall election, while Los Angeles district attorney George Gascón competes against a challenger who questions his progressive approach to crime and punishment.
According to the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, data indicates consistent increases in shoplifting across San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles between 2021 and 2022.
Statewide shoplifting rates increased during this period but remained below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, whilst commercial burglaries and robberies have become more frequent in urban counties, as per the study.
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