Prop 36 Reduces Felony Drug Possession Prison Admissions 30 Percent in 2001 while Drug Possession Arrests on Rise

		CENTER ON JUVENILE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRESS RELEASE

		www.cjcj.org

Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 54 Dore Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Tel: (415) 621-5661 | Fax: (415) 621-5466

For Immediate Release: Wednesday October 30, 2002

Prop 36 Reduces Felony Drug Possession Prison Admissions 30 Percent in 2001 while Drug Possession Arrests on Rise

[Fact Sheet]

CONTACT: Daniel Macallair
E-mail: [dmacallair@cjcj.org]
Tel: (415) 621-5661 x310

SAN FRANCISCO- Substance abuse treatment is now being utilized in place of incarceration for an increasing number of low level drug offenders, leading to a 30 percent decrease in the rate of felony drug possession prison admissions, according to an updated Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) study using the latest data from the California Department of Corrections (CDC).

Dan Macallair, Executive Director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice underscored this information was a vital part of the dialogue on treatment versus jail in California. "Felony drug possession prison admissions have fallen, while all other arrest and prison admission rates have followed previous trends. Data from the CDC shows beyond doubt that Proposition 36 has been successful in providing treatment for a population that routinely cycles through the criminal justice system without consideration of a key issue these individuals often face: chemical dependency."

The complete fact sheet with detailed information and graphs is available at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice web site, located online at: [www.cjcj.org] A full update of Drugs and Justice (2002), of which this fact sheet is a part, is in press and will be published in November 2002.

Highlights of the Discussion on Prop 36 include:

New Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice report highlights the 30 percent decrease in California drug possession felony prison admissions.
Felony drug possession prison admissions fall by 3,539 in the first year of Prop 36 Implementation.
Contrary to predictions, drug possession arrest numbers have increased slightly with Prop 36 implementation. Total arrests and prison admissions for property and violent crimes concur with previous trends.