California Proposition 36

Proposition 36, a ballot initative in California meant to ameliorate harsher elements of CA's three strikes law, was approved last night. The media hasn't paid much attention yet (people appear to be more caught up in gay marriage and the legalization of marijuana), but it's wonderful news and will lead to a much more just policy for repeat offenders.

Specifically, the proposition modifies the three strikes law so that it only applies when an offender's third conviction is for a serious or violent crime (i.e. no more Ewing v. California), and it allows judges to re-sentence convicts who were incarcerated under the harsher three strikes law. As many as 3,000 of the current 8,800 inmates serving life under the three strikes law could be resentenced[1], which would - on top of rectifying thousands of appalling sentences - save the state gobs of money.

Curiously, Proposition 34, which would have repealed the death penalty, did not pass. Prop 36 won the majority of the vote in every single county [2], while Prop 34 lost by wide margins in most counties, only garnering most of the vote in urban centers along the cost [3].

A gym full of voters, not prisoners. From SFGate.