Deputy District Attorney at San Diego County District Attorney’s Vista Office Discussing Prop 36
Proposition 36, which passed with 68% of the vote in November, officially took effect on December 18, 2024 in California and San Diego County.
Proposition 36 addresses three key public safety issues plaguing our communities:
- Repeat retail theft affecting small and large businesses and impacting the safety of their employees and their customers.
- Fentanyl and methamphetamine dealers who are poisoning individuals across the county and fueling crime.
- Untreated drug addiction and related behavioral health issues causing overdose deaths that disproportionately impact a substantial portion of persons who are homeless.
The new law provides stricter consequences for repeat theft offenders, those who are committing smash and grab retail crimes, and organized theft rings, which will stop the cycle of recidivism. The new law will also require convicted dealers of fentanyl and hard drugs to receive a warning that the next time they sell illegal drugs and someone dies, they will be held responsible for a victim’s death. The law provides additional consequences for illegal drug dealers who cause great bodily injury or death. Importantly, the new law incentivizes lifesaving treatment for defendants suffering from addiction by mandating treatment as an alternative to incarceration, addressing the root cause of many crimes.