Sacramento County DA: 'We will hold people accountable under Proposition 36'

SOME SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE RESPONDING. WE WILL HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE UNDER PROPOSITION 36. THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER TUESDAY WITH MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF NEWLY PASSED PROPOSITION 36. UNDER PROPOSITION 36, IF YOU HAVE TWO PRIOR CONVICTIONS FOR THEFT, THE THIRD CAN BE CHARGED AS A FELONY. WE CAN NOW COMBINE AND AGGREGATE MULTIPLE CASES TOGETHER TO CHARGE A FELONY. WHEN ARRESTED, YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO JAIL. VOTERS PASSED PROPOSITION 36 BY NEARLY 70% LAST MONTH. IT TAKES EFFECT WEDNESDAY. SHERIFF JIM COOPER SAYS HE BELIEVES IT WILL HELP DEPUTIES GO AFTER ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT RINGS AND INDIVIDUAL OFFENDERS. A LOT OF FOLKS ARE DOING IT BECAUSE, HEY, THERE’S NO ACCOUNTABILITY. I’M NOT GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE. THAT’S WHY I’M DOING IT. SO THIS IS A CHANGE. IT’S A START. THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR THIS. THE PEOPLE OWN THIS. SOME SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH RETAIL THEFT AND THE IMPACT IT CAN HAVE, EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT AT THEIR BUSINESS. RETAIL THEFT IS NOT ONLY AN ISSUE, IT AFFECTS ME IN MULTIPLE LEVELS. I AM NEXT DOOR. I SHARE THE PARKING LOT WITH A LARGE CORPORATION THAT HAS. HOW DO I SAY A HUGE SHRINKAGE PROBLEM? AND THAT SHRINKAGE PROBLEM CAUSES A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES FOR US AROUND US. BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS THEFT IN THEIR STORE, BUT YOU’RE ALSO BRINGING THEFT INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. OTHERS SAYING THEY JUST CAN’T CONTINUE UNDER THE STATUS QUO. I COULD LITERALLY SAY THAT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PRODUCT THAT GOT STOLEN ARE ACTUALLY FROM OTHER RETAILERS, AND THEN INSURANCE IS ACTUALLY A BIG ISSUE. SO WE CANNOT REALLY AFFORD THIS ANYMORE. YOU KNOW, PROPOSITION 36 INCREASES THE PENALTIES FOR FENTANYL DEALERS, TOO. OFFICIALS SAY THEY BELIEVE IT WILL HELP GET MORE PEOPLE INTO TREATMENT IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY. LEE ANNE DENYER KCRA THREE NEWS. AND THERE’S THIS UNDER PROPOSITION 36, PEOPLE WHO ARE CONVICTED OF CERTAIN DRUG CRIMES OR THEFT CRIMES CAN RECEIVE INCREASED PUNISHMENTS. IT ALSO SAYS THAT PEOPLE WHO POSSESS ILLEGAL DRUGS WOULD BE REQUIR

Proposition 36 takes effect Wednesday, after California voters overwhelmingly passed the measure in the November election. Ahead of that, the Sacramento County District Attorney, Sheriff, members of law enforcement and the business community came together to say they’ve had enough with rampant retail theft in the community. “We will hold people accountable under Proposition 36,” said Thien Ho, Sacramento County District Attorney. “Now, we have more. We have more tools as prosecutors to hold retail thieves accountable. We have more tools to get addicts off the streets.”Under Proposition 36, two prior convictions for theft can lead to the third being charged as a felony, Ho explained.“We can now combine and aggregate multiple cases together to charge a felony. When arrested, you will be taken to jail,” Ho said.Voters passed Prop 36 by nearly 70% on Election Day, signaling, Ho said, Californians frustration with retail theft. Ho said he is working with other district attorneys to implement protocols for prosecuting thieves under the new parameters. Ho said his office is also working to streamline reporting processes for businesses and consumers.Sheriff Jim Cooper said he believes it will help deputies, as well, by increasing their ability to go after organized retail theft rings and individual offenders. “A lot of folks are doing it because, hey, there's no accountability. I'm not going to get in trouble,” Cooper said. “This is a change. It's a start. The people voted for this. The people own this.”Cooper said of the 1,000 people arrested in retail theft operations over the last year, only 12 were homeless, with few accepting food. He said it’s his belief people are engaging in these crimes not for survival, but because current laws were too relaxed. “If people need help, we're going to get them help,” he said. “But if you're out there stealing because you can, we're going to deal with you.”Prop 36 is slated to increase the opportunities for people struggling with addiction to get help. In certain cases, people in possession of illegal drugs could be required to complete treatment instead of going to prison. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

“We will hold people accountable under Proposition 36,” said Thien Ho, Sacramento County District Attorney. “Now, we have more. We have more tools as prosecutors to hold retail thieves accountable. We have more tools to get addicts off the streets.”

Under Proposition 36, two prior convictions for theft can lead to the third being charged as a felony, Ho explained.

“We can now combine and aggregate multiple cases together to charge a felony. When arrested, you will be taken to jail,” Ho said.

Voters passed Prop 36 by nearly 70% on Election Day, signaling, Ho said, Californians frustration with retail theft.

Ho said he is working with other district attorneys to implement protocols for prosecuting thieves under the new parameters. Ho said his office is also working to streamline reporting processes for businesses and consumers.

Sheriff Jim Cooper said he believes it will help deputies, as well, by increasing their ability to go after organized retail theft rings and individual offenders.

“A lot of folks are doing it because, hey, there's no accountability. I'm not going to get in trouble,” Cooper said. “This is a change. It's a start. The people voted for this. The people own this.”

Cooper said of the 1,000 people arrested in retail theft operations over the last year, only 12 were homeless, with few accepting food. He said it’s his belief people are engaging in these crimes not for survival, but because current laws were too relaxed.

“If people need help, we're going to get them help,” he said. “But if you're out there stealing because you can, we're going to deal with you.”

Prop 36 is slated to increase the opportunities for people struggling with addiction to get help. In certain cases, people in possession of illegal drugs could be required to complete treatment instead of going to prison.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

Sacramento County DA: 'We will hold people accountable under Proposition 36'

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