Majority in California survey concerned about crime rates

A majority of Californians surveyed say they are concerned about crime rates and open to amending laws to address the issue. 

A ​​UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, found many respondents across the political spectrum support changes to Proposition 47 that lessened punishments for some crimes back in 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

Proposition 47 lowered the total value of stolen goods needed for a person to be charged with a felony and dropped other crimes down to misdemeanors, according to the local outlet. 

Eighty-eight percent of “strongly conservative” voters surveyed, 64 percent of “moderate” voters and 41 percent of “somewhat liberal” voters all said they support changes to Proposition 47, according to the poll. 

“Strongly liberal” voters opposed changes at a majority of 67 percent. 

The increase in opposition to Proposition 47 comes as 65 percent of survey respondents said crime has increased in their area.

“It’s not just an issue where conservatives and Republicans are chiming in,” director of the survey Mark DiCamillo said.

“It’s an issue that has favored the Republicans traditionally, and I think the Democrats will likely be on the defensive,” he added as elections are approaching.

Multiple bills by Democrats and Republicans have already been proposed to amend Proposition 47, the Los Angeles Times noted.

The concern about crime has impacted Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, with 51 percent of respondents in the same poll saying he has done a “poor” or “very poor” job at managing the issue. 

The survey was conducted from Feb. 3 to Feb. 10. For the crime portion, 4,460 voters were polled with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.