Governor Brown today announced his “Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016” to relax California’s prison sentencing laws. Citing rising crime rates, Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber), former Chairman of the Board of Prison Terms, criticized the Governor’s less than realistic outlook for these convicted prisoners.

“Violent and property crimes have increased in cities across the state from Sacramento to Los Angeles,” said Senator Jim Nielsen, former Chairman of the Board of Prison Terms. “Weakening the criminal justice system will only increase the victimization of California citizens.”

“Voters were deceived in passing ‘Proposition 47: The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act,’ a measure that reduced many felonies to misdemeanors. This has contributed to the increase in violent and property crimes.”

CRIME STATISTICS

From the Los Angeles Times

“Violent crime in L.A. climbed 19.9% and property crime increased 10.3% through Dec. 26 compared with the same period last year, according to the police data. It marked the second year in a row that violent crime rose, but the first time since 2003 that both violent and property crime rose.”

To read the Los Angeles Times article in its entirety, please here.

From the Sacramento Bee

“Through August, Sacramento police had responded to 2,511 violent crimes, a 24 percent increase from the same period in the prior year, police statistics show. The city has not seen that many violent crimes through August of any year since 2010.”

To read the Sacramento Bee article in its entirety, please click here.