In November 2014, two decades after 71% of Californians voted to pass the Three-Strikes initiative Prop 184, California passed a sweeping criminal justice reform that will stem the build-up of California’s overcrowded and broken prison system, and begin to repair the damage to thousands of families torn apart by repressive sentencing laws.
Prop 47 passed with 58% of the vote, reducing five non-violent, low level crimes to misdemeanors and giving 50,000 Californians a fresh start with greater access to employment and services that will help them be productive members of the community
If you or someone you know has been convicted of a felony for :
- Drug Possession
- Petty theft of $950 or less
- Shoplifting $950 or less
- Forging or Writing a bad check worth $950 or less
- Receiving stolen property of $950 or less
You may be eligible to have your conviction reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. Find out if you are eligible here.
Already know that you are eligible? Check out this Infographic with detailed steps on how to get your felony reclassified.
Prop 47 helps everyone.
Prop 47 doesn’t just impact people who have been incarcerated; it benefits all of our communities. Prop 47 redirects hundreds of millions of dollars a year away from prisons and into programs that prevent crime – K-12 education, victim services, mental health services and substance abuse rehabilitation.
Grassroots Organizing Made the Difference at the Polls
For weeks leading up to the election, California Calls Action Fund and PICO California Action Fund joined forces to fuel a large scale ground game to increase voter turnout for Prop 47. Together they mobilized 8,000 grassroots leaders who contacted over 300,000 new and infrequent voters in 14 counties of the state.
On Election Day, voters contacted by the campaign turned out 5 points higher than other voter in the state. Voters contacted by the campaign in communities that are impacted most by high rates of incarceration and with the most funding needed for education and services – African Americans, Young Voters, and Immigrants – turned out 6-20 points higher than other voters in their communities.
When we vote, we win.
Since 2009, California Calls has talked to over 625,000 voters that have committed to vote in every election to pass policies like Prop 47 – policies that reinvest in education and our state’s future, raise critically needed funds by closing corporate tax loopholes, and restore democracy. By 2016, California Calls plans to mobilize 1 million new and infrequent voters.
Sign up for email updates from California Calls to find out more.
