Violent crime is fueling the drug crisis in San Francisco, California, an expert said
San Francisco criminal justice system slammed for 'train wreck' policies that fuel violent crime
Criminal defense attorney Brian Claypool discusses how Democratic leadership in California has impacted the rise of violent crime in San Francisco.
The progressive policies in San Francisco, California have fueled the drug crisis and continued crime in the Democratic-run city.
Criminal defense attorney Brian Claypool, who is the owner and managing partner of the Claypool Law Firm, told Fox News Digital that San Franciscisco is a "train wreck" because of Democratic leadership that has spanned the last decade.
"San Francisco is a train wreck because of a combination of a couple of things; the left wing, radical Democratic leadership over the past ten years," he said. "You have mayors who are very liberal, prosecutors who don't prosecute offenders and the no-bail system."
"[In California] we now have very lenient laws as it relates to prosecuting homeless people and drug dealers," he said.
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Homeless people are seen as the City fighting with fentanyl problems in San Francisco, California, United States on May 16, 2024. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Claypool said that Proposition 47 set in motion the deterioration of San Francisco. The legislation, which was signed into law in Nov. 2014, reclassified six minor felony offenses as misdemeanors – including shoplifting less than $950 and drug possession.
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"Proposition 47 was a major contributor to crime, not only in San Francisco, but across the state," he said. "Because you had previously convicted felons who were not deemed dangerous. For example, fentanyl would have been classified as a dangerous drug before Prop 47 was passed, but Prop 47 forced the criminal court system to reclassify these drug addicts as a misdemeanor offense."
"Why is that important? Because it put them [drug addicts] back on the streets," he said. "Which, in turn, created more homelessness."
Brian Claypool, the owner and managing partner of the Claypool Law Firm, discussed the spiraling crime and drug crisis in San Francisco, California. (Claypool Law Firm)
Homeless people have been emboldened to commit robberies and violent crime in the once-crown jewel of California, Claypool said.
"The homeless are sitting on the streets with nothing to do and nowhere to go," he said. "And then they engage in violent criminal acts because maybe they need food or money, or because a lot of these homeless people realize that if they get arrested, they're not likely to go to jail."
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"There is no real legal or criminal consequence for some of these violent and illegal acts that the homeless people in San Francisco are committing," he said. "When you don't have any repercussions for the behavior, then it continues."
"In fact, I know there are a lot of police officers out there, both San Francisco and L.A., who don't even arrest these folks anymore because they know that they're going to get there, they're going to get a light charge, or they're going to get released with no bail," he said.
A homeless man is seen on a sidewalk as the City fighting with fentanyl problems in San Francisco, California, United States on February 26, 2024. (Photo by (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Claypool noted that a repercussion of Proposition 47, along with the rampant homelessness, is that is now harder to solve violent crimes.
"The DNA samples aren't taken. Only 5000 samples a month are being taken, whereas there used to be 15,000 DNA samples a month," he said. "And that's important because you then have a smaller sample of DNA to try to solve violent crimes like rape, aggravated robbery or murder. It's harder now to solve those crimes."
Homeless encampment is seen in Tenderloin District of San Francisco, California, United States on August 28, 2023. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Claypool's comments join a chorus of complaints about crime, filth, drug use and homelessness that have plagued the city for years. Some business owners have been forced to shutter in light of the dilemmas, including popular stores like Old Navy, Nordstrom, and Whole Foods.
In 2023, overdose records surpassed 2020 as the deadliest year on record in San Francisco. So far, it appears that 2024 will continue the city's deadly streak, with overdose deaths totally 412 so far, according to the latest Medical Examiner’s report.
Of the 412 deaths, 27 involved fentanyl.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
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