California Proposition 47 affecting law enforcement - Admission/Application Essay Example

Moreover, Proposition 47 promises to create a fund that would house the savings that result from the measures taken by the proposition. California State classifies crimes in three main categories, which are felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. Felonies are classified as the most serious crimes in the state. It can lead to state prison sentencing. Misdemeanors are less serious than felonies. They fetch sentences that reach a maximum of one year in a county jail (California Budget Project, 2014).

Infractions are the least serious offenses. They are not punishable by jail term. Crimes known as wobblers can be treated as felony or misdemeanor depending on the stand taken by the prosecutor and the court. The categories that have been affected by California Proposition 47 are check fraud, drug possession, petty theft, forgery, petty theft with prior petty theft conviction, shoplifting and dealing with stolen property. The proposition will give previously sentenced individuals who are serving to apply for resentencing.

The decision for resentencing is at the discretion of the trial court. It can reject the offer on grounds of non-valid claims or the presence of a risk that a given person might commit one of the serious felonies. Individuals who successfully receive resentencing will be under parole upon release. However, the court can decide to waiver the parole if the individual in question does present a considerable risk to safety in the society. In addition, people who had been sentenced before can apply to have the felony changed to misdemeanor in their records.

California Proposition 47 has mandated the establishment of a special fund, which should be set up by August 2016. The cash for the fund will come from the estimated savings that would be made by the measures outlined in Proposition 47. Sixty-five percent of the fund will go to handling mental