Ventura County, California

Two years after California voters passed Proposition 36, a tough-on-crime measure that let people charged with drug felonies opt into treatment instead of jail, an analysis of data from the state's largest counties finds few defendants actually completing treatment or having charges dismissed. Of 18,666 felony drug cases charged statewide last year, only 17% of defendants opted for treatment, and just 57 cases ended in dismissal after graduation. Implementation varies widely: some counties, like San Francisco, have made almost no arrests under the law, while others impose treatment periods ranging from three months to two years.

Prop. 36 passed without dedicated funding, and subsequent state budget allocations have fallen far short of what counties say they need. Shortages of treatment beds, case managers, and housing have left many participants, a large share of them homeless, unable to get consistent care. Old convictions with no statute of limitations have also triggered felony charges for people who had been sober for years. Prison admissions under the law are rising, though supporters argue the program is still helping people who otherwise would not seek treatment.