Prop 47: Reduction of Non-Violent Wobbler Offenses
Prop 47 formally assigns some non-violent “wobbler” offenses to be sentenced as misdemeanors, whereas before they could have been charged as a felony. Misdemeanors are punishable by things such as time in county jail, fines, community service and probation, whereas felonies are punishable with prison time and stricter terms. Some of the eligible crimes are:
- Grand theft or shoplifting of items valuing lower than $950
- Forgery or fraud that does not exceed $950
- Personal use of most classes of drugs
- Writing bad checks less than $950
Prop 47 is retroactive. It permits resentencing for people currently serving a prison sentence, people who are serving probation/parole, and reclassification of the criminal record of those who are finished with probation/parole. Under Prop 47, 10,000 inmates were eligible for resentencing, according to Lenore Anderson of Californians for Safety and Justice (source). Call the Law Office of Beles & Beles to speak with our certified specialist attorneys about resentencing or reclassification for you or a loved one.