Abstract
We examine patterns of reported crime in Santa Monica, California before and after the passage of Proposition 47, a 2014 initiative that reclassified some non-violent felonies as misdemeanors. We also investigate impacts of the opening of four new light rail stations in 2016 and of increased community-based policing starting in late 2018. Our statistical analyses of reclassified crimes—larceny, fraud, possession of narcotics, forgery, receiving/possessing stolen property—and non-reclassified ones are based on publicly available reported crime data from 2006 to 2019. These analyses examine reported crime at various levels: city-wide, within eight neighborhoods, and within a 450-meter radius of the new transit stations. Monthly reported reclassified crimes increased city-wide by approximately 15% after enactment of Proposition 47, with a significant drop observed in late 2018. Downtown exhibited the largest overall surge. Reported non-reclassified crimes fell overall by approximately 9%. Areas surrounding two new train stations, including Downtown, saw significant increases in reported crime after train service began. While reported reclassified crimes increased after passage of Proposition 47, non-reclassified crimes, for the most part, decreased or stayed constant, suggesting that Proposition 47 may have impacted reported crime in Santa Monica. Reported crimes decreased in late 2018 concurrent with the adoption of new community-based policing measures. Follow-up studies needed to confirm long-term trends may be challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic that drastically changed societal conditions. While our research detects changes in reported crime, it does not provide causative explanations. Our work, along with other considerations relevant to public utility, respect for human rights, and existence of socioeconomic disparities, may be useful to law enforcement and policymakers to assess the overall effect of Proposition 47.
Highlights
On November 4, 2014, voters of the state of California passed Proposition 47, known as the “Criminal Sentences
Prop. 47 imparted three broad changes to felony sentencing laws in the state of California: (i) certain non-violent theft and drug possession offenses would be reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors; (ii) those serving sentences for the reclassified offenses would be allowed to petition courts for resentencing; and (iii) those who had completed felony sentences classified as misdemeanors would be able to petition courts to amend their criminal records
To quantify the effects of Prop. 47 on reported crime rates in Santa Monica, we compute the average number of monthly offenses subject to reclassification before and after the law’s passage
Summary
On November 4, 2014, voters of the state of California passed Proposition 47 (hereafter Prop. 47), known as the “Criminal Sentences. On November 4, 2014, voters of the state of California passed Proposition 47 47 imparted three broad changes to felony sentencing laws in the state of California: (i) certain non-violent theft and drug possession offenses would be reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors; (ii) those serving sentences for the reclassified offenses would be allowed to petition courts for resentencing; and (iii) those who had completed felony sentences classified as misdemeanors would be able to petition courts to amend their criminal records. Possession of most illegal drugs for personal use, including methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, was reclassified as a misdemeanor. Reclassification may not apply if perpetrators have a criminal record including violence or sexual offenses
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