People v. Guzman

Opinion

CHIN, J.

The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000 (Act), which the voters of California enacted through Proposition 36, requires courts to order probation and community-based drug treatment rather than incarceration for certain criminal offenders who commit “ ‘nonviolent drug possession offense[s]’ ” (NDPO’s). (Pen. Code, § 1210, subd. (a).) We granted review in this case to determine whether the Act violates the right of equal protection under the federal and state Constitutions by failing to make this probation requirement applicable to defendants who commit NDPO’s while…