Whenever a proposition comes on the ballot in California to release criminals from jail, it always passes, since the criminals already outside jail outnumber the law-abiding citizens.  That's why it will come as no surprise when California voters vote for Proposition 57, which will release "nonviolent" criminals.  The only problem is that California has a very expansive definition of "nonviolent" in its legal code:

Rape by intoxication, Rape of an unconscious person

There is an unusual dynamic here.  Feminist liberals push for a more and more expansive definition of rape, but anti-prison liberals push for more and more release of rapists from prison.

Human Trafficking involving sex act with minors

Liberals see no problem there.

Drive‐by shooting

Nonviolent?  I guess if they miss.

Assault with a deadly weapon

Hard to see how that is nonviolent.  Maybe if consensual?  It is California.

Hostage taking

Well, if they don't execute the hostages, obviously nonviolent.

Attempting to explode a bomb at a hospital or school

Why should the people who are bad at making bombs be penalized for those who are good at it?  You wouldn't want to see Ahmed the Clock Boy go to prison, would you?

Domestic violence involving trauma

(As opposed to domestic violence without trauma)

Supplying a firearm to a gang member

Obviously nonviolent, unless you are a gun dealer selling to a regular citizen.

Hate crime causing physical injury

As opposed to non-hate crimes causing physical injuries.  Are these other assaults not hateful?  Are they acts of love?

Arson

If the building burns down, but no one is in it, where's the violence?

Discharging a firearm on school grounds

Again, we should not penalize bad shots simply because others have better aim.

False imprisonment of an elder through violence. 

"Through violence"...being classified as nonviolent.  Only in California.

This sounds incredible, but Ballotpedia fact-checked it and confirmed the authenticity:

... opponents correctly note that the initiative does not define which "nonviolent" crimes are eligible, and state law treats many seemingly violent crimes as "nonviolent." Therefore, unless amended, Proposition 57, if approved, could provide early release to inmates whose crimes are not designated as "violent" under state law but whose criminality involved actions that would commonly be regarded as violent.

Convicted rapists and murders being held in jail on some of the above charges could get early release as well.

Exit question: If this referendum passes, as expected, where would you like the prison buses to make their drop-off stops?  My votes:

1) Pacific Heights, San Francisco

2) Santa Monica, California

3) Bel Air, Los Angeles (two stops)

4) Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles

5) Malibu, California (two-hour layover)

6) Palo Alto, California

7) Los Altos Hills, California

8) Fairfax, California

9) Berkeley, California (not that anyone would notice)

Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com.