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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

CALIFORNIA’S JUSTICE REALIGNMENT AND PROP 47 AND THE RISING CRIME RATE

EIN NewsDouble digit increases in crime may be an early warning sign of what’s to come as a result of California’s sweeping justice realignment system and the passage of Proposition 47. Riverside County District Attorney Michael A. Hestrin discussed what’s behind the recent uptick in crime as part of the continuing Randall Lewis Seminar Series presented by the UC Riverside School of Public Policy’s Center for Sustainable Suburban Development.

Violent crime jumped more than 10-percent in Riverside County between January and June this year compared to 2014. The County’s top prosecutor suspects that double digit increase may be an early warning sign of what’s to come as a result of California’s sweeping justice realignment system and the passage of Proposition 47.

Riverside County District Attorney Michael A. Hestrin talked about he believes is behind the uptick in crime as part of the continuing Randall Lewis Seminar Series presented by the UC Riverside School of Public Policy’s Center for Sustainable Suburban Development.

Hestrin explained to Ron Loveridge, director of the CSSD and former Riverside Mayor, that Riverside County communities saw significant increases in almost every category of crime in the first half of this year.

Normally when crime goes up during times of recession or economic downturn, it’s focused in “hot spots.” “What you’re seeing here is different,” Hestrin said.

Riverside County’s 10.63 percent jump in violent crime, however, pales in comparison to the 26.92-percent increase in violent crime in Cathedral City. Robberies jumped 150-percent there as well. Even the city of Riverside, the most populous municipality in the Inland Empire, was stunned to see robberies climb almost 14.48-percent.

There’s more than a suspicion, Hestrin said, that the increases are due to the justice system realignment mandated by Assembly Bill 109 in 2011 and voter approve Prop 47 last year. continue reading...

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