Governor hopes Californians' tough views on crime have eased
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Gov. Jerry Brown is betting that the pendulum has swung from the days when Californians approved the nation's toughest three-strikes crime law and other get-tough measures.
He's asking voters to reverse a ballot measure that let prosecutors send juveniles directly to adult court. The plan he announced this week also would further soften California's three-strikes law and weaken victims' rights laws passed as recently as 2008.
Voters have recently been willing to ease criminal penalties.
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In the last four years they've cut penalties for some drug and property crimes and required that a third strike must be a violent or serious felony.
Pollsters say the Democratic governor could benefit from increasing support for criminal justice reform as he asks voters to reduce sentences to meet a court-ordered prison population cap.