With crime rates rising in Sacramento, some say old criminal justice reforms are to blame – Good Day Sacramento

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – There have been denunciations and fallout from the growing crime crisis in our state, but are lax laws to blame? A lot of people say yes.

Sacramento had its highest murder rate in 15 years last year, and retail organized crime is on the rise. Some people are now saying that the criminal justice reforms that were put in place years ago are to blame.

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“We are now in a situation where there is no responsibility for the crime,” said Marc Klaas, criminal justice advocate.

With crime rates rising statewide, Klaas is among those calling for tougher California sentencing laws.

“It reminds me of 1993,” Klaas said. “We have the same things going on.”

This is the year her 12-year-old daughter, Polly Klaas, was kidnapped and murdered by a repeat offender.

“It’s just amazing to me that we are going back to that time,” he said.

Last year in Sacramento, more than 200 people were shot dead and there were 57 homicides – the highest rate in 15 years.

So what is it that drives up crime rates? Klaas and others blame criminal justice reform efforts a decade ago that have shortened sentences and reduced prison populations.

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“Think what we used to have in plain language: use a gun and you’re done, 10, 20, life, three strikes and you’re out,” said Margaret Mims, county sheriff. of Fresno.

“When you take away the consequences and take the deterrence away, trust me, it’s going to have an effect,” said Michael Hestrin, Riverside County District Attorney.

Last month, Governor Newsom offered to spend millions of dollars to increase public safety.

“We took a budget of $ 9 million and increased it to $ 200 million for violence intervention programs,” Newsom said in December.

And he says past justice reforms are not to blame for the higher crime rates.

“We are not reneging on our commitment in this state to push forward comprehensive reforms,” ​​Newsom said. “We do not come back in this state to right the wrongs of the past”

But others say changes are needed now to reduce violent crime.

“It is the unsuspecting public that suffers the consequences,” Hestrin said.

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There are currently several bills under consideration on Capitol Hill to increase penalties for repeat offenders, and a signature campaign is underway to secure a tougher condemnation initiative in the November ballot.

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