Free Republic

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a measure Wednesday that rewrites a voter-approved initiative to allow short-term jail sentences for drug offenders who fail to complete court-ordered treatment programs. Senate Bill 1137 changes the provisions of Proposition 36, the 2000 initiative voters approved to require treatment instead of prison for certain nonviolent drug offenders. Three out of four of those sentenced to treatment under Proposition 36 never show up for their court-ordered programs, or they fail to complete them. A task force of prosecutors, judges, public defenders and treatment providers drafted the bill in the hope that short-term jail sentences would get...