Sunday, October 7, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, Criminal Justice and the November Ballot. Potluck lunch at the Peace Resource Center,
1364 Fremont, Seaside followed by a program with guest speakers Elliot Ruckowitz-Roberts
of the Monterey County ACLU and Annette
Summers of Families to Amend California’s Three
Strikes.
In November, Californians will vote on two ballot initiatives which could bring
significant changes to the state’s criminal justice system. If approved, Proposition 36 will modify
elements of California's "Three Strikes" Law, which was approved by
the state's voters in 1994. If
Proposition 36 is approved by voters, approximately 3,000 convicted felons who
are currently serving life terms under the Three Strikes law, whose third
strike conviction was for a nonviolent crime, will be able to petition the
court for a reduced sentence. Reducing the sentences of these current prisoners
could result in saving the state over $150 million a year. Proposition 34
— also known as the Savings, Accountability, and Full Enforcement for
California Act —would convert the sentences of death row inmates to life in
prison without the possibility of parole.
If passed, Proposition 34 would save taxpayers more than $100 million
each year. The money spent keeping convicts on death row would be used to fund
investigations of unsolved crimes.
Sponsored by the National Lawyers Guild – Monterey Bay Area Chapter.
This
event is free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated. Bring a dish or beverage to share and your
own place setting, if you can.
For more info, call 831-869-2834.
