SB 543 (Block): Petty theft: enhancements for prior convictions (Fact Sheet)
SB 543 – Petty Theft – Fact Sheet
ISSUE
Currently, if a defendant is convicted three or more times of petty theft, grand theft, auto theft, burglary, carjacking, or robbery, and then later commits petty theft, the subsequent petty theft crime may be punished as a felony. Existing law fails to list crimes of theft from an elder or dependent adult as a prior qualifying offense.
WHAT SB 543 DOES
Adds “theft from an elder or dependent adult” as a qualifying prior crime for purposes of sentencing enhancements. Upholds the safety, wellbeing, and financial assets of seniors age 65 and older and dependent adults.
WHAT SB 543 DOES NOT DO
Does not create a new crime. SB 543 seeks to establish that crimes against elders or dependent adults are treated in the same manner as other qualifying priors.
SUPPORT
San Diego County District Attorney (sponsor), California Commission on Aging, California District Attorneys Association, California State Sheriffs’ Association, County of San Diego, County Welfare Directors Association of California, Crime Victims Action Alliance, and Senior Community Centers. No opposition.
HISTORY
Due to rising convictions for crimes against seniors, Penal Code 368 was amended in 2011 to increase misdemeanor fines for theft, embezzlement, forgery, or fraud, and identity theft and identity crimes against an elder or dependent adult.
CONTACT GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN
Phone: (916) 445-2841; Tweet @JerryBrownGov;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerrybrown
State Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814
Teenagers who hit seniors with the intent of knocking them out should be sentence/prosecuted as adults. That “knock-out game” appears to be the new game, seeing if your strong enough to knock a person out.
Also if a teenager is told or bullied by another person to hurt a senior or take advantage of a senior then the person telling the teenager should be sentenced/investigated as a felon crime too.
We need more guards on the trolleys here in the City of San Diego, CA, that are coming and going by the City Collage. I’m a tough old guy but I’m afraid to sit in an almost empty trolley, Getting hard-looks/Bulling is not fun even if the teenagers laugh after the hard looks make you turn your head down or look the other way.
Sincerely,
Carl G. Mueller, Vietnam 1968
525 14TH ST., APT. 325
SAN DIEGO CA 92101-7547