LOS ANGELES — On Thursday, 7-Eleven Franchisees, community leaders and law enforcement held a press conference to announce their support for Proposition 36, a measure written to combat retail theft.

The event was held outside of a 7-Eleven in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood that has been hit by two flash mob robberies in two months.

The owners say Proposition 36 will provide a common-sense solution and tools to hold repeat offenders accountable, while providing pathways for rehabilitation.

However, several organizations and politicians say the opposite will be true. 

Chauncee Smith with social justice organization Catalyst California says the measure would criminalize minor property crimes and substance use as felonies, as opposed to misdemeanors, without creating the funding stream to cover the costs of increased incarceration or substance-use treatment.