The Incomplete Story Told by California’s Declining Juvenile Arrest Rates

The passage of Senate Bill 1449 in California in 2011 reduced the severity of simple marijuana possession by labeling it a civil infraction punishable by a maximum fine of $100 rather than a misdemeanor criminal offense. Since the implementation of the bill, 9,000 kids have avoided initial contact with the criminal justice system, and an estimated $1 billion is likely to be saved annually due to the costs of arrests, incarceration, and supervision.

The passage of Senate Bill 1449 in California in 2011 reduced the severity of simple marijuana possession by labeling it a civil infraction punishable by a maximum fine of $100 rather than a misdemeanor criminal offense. Since the implementation of the bill, 9,000 kids have avoided initial contact with the criminal justice system, and an estimated $1 billion is likely to be saved annually due to the costs of arrests, incarceration, and supervision. Although socially beneficial, the bill may still have a negative effect on underprivileged minorities, who are still likely to be racially profiled and unable to pay the fines imposed on them.