Hundreds are expected to attend a Proposition 47 Record Change and Justice Fair on June 25 at San Joaquin Delta College, a free public event aimed at helping people reduce old low level, non-violent felonies on their criminal records to misdemeanors under voter-approved Proposition 47.
Registered attendees will have an opportunity to meet with volunteer attorneys from across California, have their old criminal records reviewed, and get assistance with their Proposition 47 record change applications. Sponsored by Californians for Safety and Justice, the B. Wayne Hughes, Jr. Foundation and local organizations including Community Partnership for Families of San Joaquin, El Concilio, Fathers and Families of San Joaquin, Reinvent South Stockton and United Way, the Justice Fair will feature music, a kids zone, community resources, food and entertainment from local artists.
Approved by 60 percent of voters in November of 2014, Proposition 47 changed six non-violent felonies (simple drug possession and petty theft with a value of $950 or less) to misdemeanors. The law allows people with old felony convictions for Proposition 47 eligible offenses to reduce those felonies to misdemeanors. This is the first time in U.S. history that such a second chance opportunity has been made available, helping people remove barriers to economic security and family stability by increasing their opportunities for jobs, housing, student loans and more.
To date, Proposition 47 has resulted in a reduction in the number of people incarcerated in state prisons or county jails around the state for low level, non-violent offenses, and saved the state and local communities tens of millions of dollars that will be reinvested in community-based crime prevention programs like drug and mental health treatment, programs for at-risk schoolchildren, and victims’ services.
Attendees seeking record change assistance are encouraged to attend and register at a live scan event prior to June 25th in order to get Proposition 47 application assistance the day of the Justice Fair. For more information, visit sanjoaquinfor47.com.