Proposition 47: The impact on homeless drug addicts

This research proposal explores how criminal justice reforms impact society. Specifically, the study examines California's Proposition 47 which reclassified certain criminal offenses, including drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. Research has found that while the policy created intended outcomes, some unintended outcomes may have negatively impacted the homeless community. The findings demonstrate that court mandated drug treatment programs efficacy was impacted when drug offense penalties were reduced - specifically among the homeless community. This study is one of the first empirical inquiries assessing Proposition 47's impact on a particular demographic.