Proposition 57 — the victorious November ballot measure sponsored by Gov. Jerry Brown — continues to spark controversy over its loose definition of “nonviolent” crimes.

The proposition won easy approval despite harsh criticism from district attorneys around the state. The measure writes into the state Constitution guarantees that those convicted of “nonviolent crimes” can be eligible for early parole if they behave well and take part in rehabilitation programs.

But the measure was crafted rapidly in what critics likened to the judicial version of “gut and amend,” transforming what was originally meant to be a ballot initiative reforming juvenile justice into an expansive measure with far-reaching reform goals. The revision was approved by the California Supreme Court despite a stinging dissent from Justice Ming W. Chin who said failure to subject the measure to normal thorough reviews set a poor precedent and made it more likely to be poorly drafted.

Chin’s point was underscored when it came to the public’s attention through the Brock Turner case in Stanford that under Proposition 57, the former college athlete’s sexually molesting an unconscious female student was considered a “nonviolent” crime — among many sex crimes considered “nonviolent” because of Prop. 57’s reliance on crime category labeling dating back to 1976.

Brown: Trust parole officials to protect public

The governor’s counter was that the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation would never prematurely parole someone guilty of a violent sex crime. But many state lawmakers aren’t persuaded, especially given the corrections agency’s history of scandals and problems.

Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, wants protections against possible early release of sex criminals and other violent felons written into law. She told the Los Angeles Times she is pushing a bill with that goal in hopes of sparking a public debate on what crimes should be added to the list of those technically considered “violent” by the state, starting with violence against children and police officers.

“If you put yourself in the position of a victim in any one of those crimes, you will say, ‘That was violent because that affected me physically and emotionally,’” Bates told the Times.

Bates isn’t the only lawmaker seeking changes.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, wants cruelty to animals, crimes targeting older people and the kidnapping of children with the intent of using them as prostitutes added to the list.

Assembly members Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego, want all types of rape involving people incapable of giving consent branded as violent crimes.

There is also likely to be interest in adding assault on a domestic partner to the list.

State budget says no early parole for sex offenders

Brown has dismissed criticism of Prop. 57 in his public comments. But the 2017-18 budget Brown released in January contains a de facto response to critics. It explicitly noted that sex offenders would not be considered for early parole.

That’s still not good enough for many district attorneys, who say parole decisions can be challenged in court because of Prop. 57’s language.

Unless Prop. 57 is revised before the 2018 gubernatorial campaign revs up, it is likely to be an issue in that race.

They’ve been two of California’s biggest stories for months: the simmering anger over the light sentence given in early June to Brock Turner, a former Stanford swimmer, for sexually assaulting an unconscious fellow student in early 2015, and Gov. Jerry Brown’s push for Proposition 57, a far-reaching ballot measure that would speed the parole process for those convicted of “nonviolent” crimes.

But the crime that Turner committed is one that Brown’s ballot measure labels “nonviolent.” It appears that it wasn’t until Associated Press reporter Don Thompson wrote a 984-word story last Friday that this angle was covered in the news sections of California’s daily papers. Thompson’s summary:

A November ballot measure backed by Gov. Jerry Brown would allow earlier parole for thousands of California inmates, but critics say it could result in the very situation that led to public outrage in the case of former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner.

The proposal is aimed at controlling overcrowding in state prisons and reining in costs, and is limited to nonviolent offenders. But in California, “nonviolent” is broadly defined.

It applies to certain rapes and sexual assaults, such as Turner’s conviction, along with vehicular and involuntary manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, exploding a bomb with intent to injure and other crimes.

Because of that, the ballot measure could mean less time in prison for people like Turner, prosecutors say. The one-time Olympic hopeful swimmer was released Friday after completing half of a six-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a trash bin near a fraternity house hosting a party.

Many already were upset that the law allowed him to avoid hard time.

Yes on 57: Corrections, parole officials can block release

While some California opinion pages and writers covered the Turner-Proposition 57 link — most prominently Dan Walters with his Aug. 8 column in the Sacramento Bee — other journalists appeared reluctant to connect the dots. A Nexis hunt of U.S. newspapers using “Brock Turner and Proposition 57” showed no news coverage before the AP report. One possible reason is that Sacramento reporters thought that the case a Yes on 57 spokesman offered in the Associated Press story was credible: Either Corrections Department officials, parole authorities or both could block the release of a sexually violent convict.

But going forward, that explanation isn’t likely to stop leaders of the anti-57 campaign — the California District Attorneys Association — from invoking Brock Turner over and over again. And the extent of anger over Turner’s case could help reduce Gov. Brown’s biggest advantage in this fight: his huge war chest. He entered the 2016 campaign season with $24 million in two accounts.

In late June, the district attorneys group indicated it had little money for ad buys and would rely on getting the word out about Brock Turner being labeled “nonviolent” by the governor’s measure. It took two months, but it finally happened with the AP account, which the wire service touted as its “Big Story” of the day last Friday. The headline the Daily Post online newspaper based in the Palo Alto area used over the AP story: “Measure may let rapists out early.” The No on 57 campaign may build momentum with fund raising if such headlines continue.

At the least, there will also now be public pressure on a long list of California Democratic politicians — starting with Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, Attorney General Kamala Harris, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom — to explain their view on whether what Brock Turner did should be labeled a “nonviolent” crime.

Many of these politicians voiced support for legislation inspired by Turner’s short sentence that was approved by lawmakers and sent to the governor last week. It mandates that prison time must be served by individuals who sexually assault an intoxicated or unconscious individual.