California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill reinstating stringent criminal penalties targeting large-scale theft schemes and smash-and-grab robberies, which have caused public outrage across the state.
The new law mandates prosecutors to impose harsher sentences on individuals who commit felonies while damaging or destroying property valued at over $50,000. A similar law had expired in 2018, and the new legislation will be effective until 2030.
Driving the news: The decision to reintroduce severe penalties comes as Democratic leaders try to prove they are tough on crime, despite the typical progressive policies that come out of Sacramento.
- While shoplifting has been a growing concern, large-scale smash-and-grab thefts, characterized by organized groups entering stores and brazenly looting goods, have become a prevalent issue in California in recent years.
- These incidents, often captured on video and shared on social media, have drawn considerable attention to the state’s retail theft problem.
The big picture: The new law is part of a bipartisan legislative package including approximately a dozen bills designed to combat theft, enhance prosecution of repeat shoplifters and car thieves, and raise penalties for professional reselling schemes.’
- Criminal justice advocates and public defenders opposed the new law, arguing that it will lead to more incarcerations for non-retail theft crimes and potentially result in harsher sentences for various felony charges.
What they’re saying: “California already has some of the strictest retail and property crime laws in the nation – and we have made them even stronger with our recent legislation,” Newsom said. “We can be tough on crime while also being smart on crime – we don’t need to go back to broken policies of the last century.”
