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261 points paulpauper | 1 comments | 25 Jun 25 17:14 UTC | HN request time: 0.205s | source

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philipallstar ◴[26 Jun 25 11:11 UTC] No.44386200[source]▶

Incarceration isn't the same thing as crime. If the most populous state by far (California, almost 40m people in 2025) passes a law[0] that stealing things under $950 is a misdemeanor rather than a felony, then crime can continue while incarceration rates drop.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_California_Proposition_47

replies(4): >>44386246 #>>44387764 #>>44390050 #>>44390669 #

1. joshuahaglund ◴[26 Jun 25 18:36 UTC] No.44390050[source]▶

>>44386200 #

Your own link points out that $950 is just taking into account inflation. When the law was created in 1982 the amount was $400, which was about $981 in 2014.

Inflation would eventually make stealing a candy bar a felony. Or we could updated the numbers periodically

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America’s incarceration rate is in decline