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Does California's Proposition 47 state that theft of property valued under $950 will not be prosecuted?

By Christiana Dillard
NO

Proposition 47, passed in 2014 and on California's books for more than six years, says that a theft under the proposition's definition of shoplifting would be considered a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

Contrary to a social media post -- which includes a clip of shoplifters caught on video -- the proposition does not say police would not investigate such crimes or that there would be no prosecutions.

Proposition 47, also known as The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, created a new misdemeanor offense called "shoplifting," punishable by up to 6 months in county jail.

It defines that offense as "entering a commercial establishment with intent to commit larceny while that establishment is open during regular business hours," with the value of the property stolen not exceeding $950.

Other laws -- not Proposition 47 -- cover property thefts from individuals.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
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Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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