On July 12, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper made headlines when he blasted the California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom for not doing enough to prevent the state’s residents from being victims of crime. He took particular aim at the governor for failing to deliver on what was contemplated by Proposition 36, which passed with nearly 70 percent support in 2024.
Among other things, Prop 36 authorized felony charges for possessing certain drugs, and for thefts under $950 for someone with two prior drug or two prior theft convictions. Both had been treated as misdemeanors and carried light punishments.
It also offered an option for people convicted of certain crimes to agree to mental health or substance abuse treatment in return for having felony charges dropped…