Police notice what isn't prosecuted. They don't enjoy the experience of wasting their time arresting people repeatedly for deeds that the prosecutor doesn't care about.
Then there's stuff like this:
> “In an era where our streets are filled with homeless people looking for shelter from the elements this expansion of the prosecution and incarceration time for individuals who have not damaged a locking mechanism of the vehicle to gain entry could negatively impact those with the least of means,” the public defenders said in a letter to lawmakers.
Prosecuting those with the least of means for anything less than heinous, violent crimes also isn't a good look.
So therefor just because you’re homeless you’re free to steal? That’s total BS, and also rots society.
The bigger problem is nothing is being done to make prisons better, or to address the deficiencies that allow people to become homeless in the first place.
I don't necessarily want to lock people up for petty theft. But I do want them to face some sort of punishment, even community service, with follow-up and escalating punishments if the community service is not completed.
If the implication is that we were prosecuting these crimes before Prop 47, them we can still prosecute every one of them, we just don't need to charge them as felonies.
Depends on the misdemeanor. Feds are clamoring to deport folks for the misdemeanor of illegal immigration.