HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-073 - Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2020RESOLUTION 2020-073
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA ANA SUPPORTING THE REDUCING CRIME AND
KEEPING CALIFORNIA SAFE ACT OF 2020
WHEREAS, protecting every person in our state, including our most vulnerable
children, from violent crime is of the utmost importance. Murderers, rapists, child
molesters and other violent criminals should not be released early from prison; and
WHERAS, since 2014, California has had a larger increase in violent crime than
the rest of the United States: and
WHEREAS, since 2013, violent crime in Los Angeles has increased 69.5% and
violent crime in Sacramento rose faster during the first six months of 2015 than in any of
the 25 largest U.S. cities tracked by the FBI; and
WHEREAS, the FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report for 2017,
which tracks crimes committed during the first six months of the past year in U.S. cities
with populations over 100,000 indicates that last year violent crime increased again in
most of California's largest cities; and
WHEREAS, recent changes to parole laws allow the early release of dangerous
criminals by the law's failure to define certain crimes as "violent," and these changes
allowed individuals convicted of sex trafficking of children, rape of an unconscious person,
felony assault with a deadly weapon, and felony domestic violence to be considered
"nonviolent" offenders; and
WHEREAS, as a result, these "nonviolent" offenders are eligible for early release
from prison after serving only a fraction of the sentence ordered by a judge; and
WHEREAS, violent offenders are also being allowed to remain free in our
communities even when they commit new crimes and violate the terms of their post
release community supervision; and
WHEREAS, the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2018 ("Act")
reforms the law so felons who violate the terms of their release can be brought back to
court and held accountable for such violations; and
WHEREAS, nothing in the Act is intended to create additional "strike" offenses
which would increase the state prison population; nor is it intended to affect the ability of
the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to award educational and
merit credits; and
Resolution No. 2020-073
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WHEREAS, recent changes to California law allow individuals who steal
repeatedly to face few consequences, regardless of their criminal record or how many
times they steal; and
WHEREAS, as a result, between 2014 and 2016, California had the second
highest increase in theft and property crimes in the United States, while most states have
seen a steady decline; and
WHEREAS, according to the California Department of Justice, the value of
property stolen in 2015 was $2.5 billion with an increase of 13 percent since 2014, the
largest single -year increase in at least ten years; and
WHEREAS, grocery store operators around the state have seen unprecedented
increases in the amount of losses associated with shoplifting in their stores, with some
reporting up to 150 percent increases in these losses from 2012 to present, with the
largest jumps occurring since 2014; and
WHEREAS, shoplifting incidents have started to escalate in such a manner that
have endangered innocent customers and employees; and
WHEREAS, individuals who repeatedly steal often do so to support their drug
habit, but recent changes to California law have reduced judges' ability to order
individuals convicted of repeated theft crimes into effective drug treatment programs; and
WHEREAS, California needs stronger laws for those who are repeatedly convicted
of theft related crimes, which will encourage those who repeatedly steal to support their
drug problem to enter into existing drug treatment programs, and this Act would enact
such reforms; and
WHEREAS, collecting DNA from criminals is essential to solving violent crimes,
and over 450 violent crimes including murder, rape and robbery have gone unsolved
because DNA is being collected from fewer criminals; and
WHERAS, DNA collected in 2015 from a convicted child molester solved the rape -
murders of two six -year -old boys that occurred three decades ago in Los Angeles County;
and DNA collected in 2016 from an individual caught driving a stolen car solved the 2012
San Francisco Bay Area rape -murder of an 83-yearold woman; and
WHEREAS, recent changes to California law unintentionally eliminated DNA
collection for theft and drug crimes, but this Act restores DNA collection from persons
convicted for such offenses; and
WHEREAS, permitting collection and more DNA samples will help identify
suspects, clear the innocent and free the wrongly convicted; and
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WHEREAS, this Act does not affect existing legal safeguards that protect the
privacy of individuals by allowing for their removal of their DNA profile if they are not
charged with a crime, are acquitted or are found innocent.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa
Ana, that:
Section 1. The City Council for the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, declares, and
determines as follows that the City Council hereby supports the Reducing Crime and
Keeping California Safe Act.
Section 2. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting
this Resolution.
ADOPTED this 15th day of September. 2020.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney
AYES: Councilmembers Bacerra, Mendoza, Penaloza, Pulido,
Solorio. Ville4as (6)
NOES: Councilmembers Sarmiento (1)
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers None (0)
NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers None (0)
Resolution No. 2020-073
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, DAISY GOMEZ, Clerk of the Council, do hereby certify the attached Resolution No.
2020 -073 to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa
Ana on September 15, 2020.
Date: q - 0� a -XGi Q
Daisy Gomez
Clerk of the Council
City of Santa Ana
Resolution No. 2020-073
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