California’s Proposition 36 will help undo ineffective attempts at diversion put in place by Prop 47 in 2014, argue Renee Golder, vice mayor of Santa Cruz, and Bernie Escalante, chief of the Santa Cruz Police Department. “Over the past decade, Santa Cruz has faced a significant rise in large encampments, drug overdoses, and retail theft,” they write. “The Ross Camp and Benchlands illustrate the city’s struggles with homelessness and public safety.” It’s time, they say, for a reboot.
