The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is backing state legislation that would give prosecutors the sole discretion to charge and prosecute infractions in place of many low-level misdemeanors that are currently subject to sentences of less than six months in jail.
SB 617, authored by Sen. Marty Block, D-San Diego, would hold offenders accountable while avoiding the costs associated with protracted court involvement — jury trials, attorney representation, confinement and probation involvement — because it does not apply to infractions, according to its supporters.
Cases that involve firearms, sex-offender registration, child abuse, elder abuse, DUI, domestic violence and sex offenses would not be eligible. … The proposed bill will be presented to the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday (May 12). Full Article
Excluded from many forms of legislation that helps people who commit low level crimes avoid the lifelong stigma of jail. Still… Not punitive at all…
How are the courts still supporting this? They’re not even trying to hide the punitive nature of the SO label anymore and still it’s allowed to continue, even in the courts…
Losing hope quickly…
I’m glade we had a hand in stopping Bill sb267,but the San Diego Bill I don’t understand, and would need more info on what they are trying to do.
This another bad law that needs to be stop. It is ripe for abuse by the DA.