Solving California's Prison Crisis: A Ballot Initiative Coming to a Grocery Store Near You

By Margaret Dooley-Sammuli
Drug Policy Alliance

We are thrilled to inform Californians that the Drug Policy Alliance Network has filed a ballot measure that would bring about the biggest prison/sentencing reform in American history.

The Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act (NORA) would provide $460 million each year to fund effective, individualized drug treatment and rehabilitation for tens of thousands of people arrested for nonviolent offenses. NORA also requires the prison system to make a major commitment to rehabilitation programs for people inside and outside the prisons. By stabilizing funding for, and expanding access to, treatment and rehabilitative services, NORA will dramatically reduce the prison population and save $1 billion annually, while allowing our criminal justice system to focus on public safety, not punishing nonviolent drug users. We believe that the changes proposed in the initiative could provide a model for reform nationally.

Though NORA might sound a lot like our successful Prop. 36 program, it is much broader. NORA's reforms will break the cycle of prison, parole and return to prison for nonviolent prisoners and parolees. Under NORA, nonviolent parolees all get rehabilitation services to give them a better chance at a successful life after prison, and they cannot be returned to prison for minor violations of parole. This is a major change in policy that will reduce the problem of over-incarceration of nonviolent offenders, with big financial savings as well.

Within the next three months, we must gather well over 430,000 valid signatures to ensure that the measure will appear on the November ballot. You can help us get there by signing a petition at a grocery store near you!

Years of research, experience and insight went into the drafting of NORA. The Drug Policy Alliance Network thanks the many individuals and agencies that collaborated with us on its creation, particularly the Campaign for New Drug Policies, co-sponsor of the measure with us, and we encourage you to learn about and support the measure.