California Gov. Gavin Newsom strongly opposed Proposition 36. He claims it will bring California back to the 1980s when mass incarceration was rife. In recent years, the state has been more aggressive in cracking down on organized retail crime, but Californians are clearly demanding swifter change.

Frustrated with what they see as rampant retail crimes, voters approved an initiative making shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders again and increasing penalties for some drug charges, including those involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

People who are incarcerated are often paid less than $1 an hour to fight fires, clean cells and do landscaping work at cemeteries.

California voters rejected the Proposition 6 ballot measure that would have outlawed forced prison labor, a direct continuation of chattel enslavement.