Essay On Three Strikes Law

The state of Washington passed the first three strikes law in 1993. Anyone convicted of three separate violent felonies must be sentenced to life in prison without a chance for parole. Then on March 8th, 1994, California followed by enacting the law that sanctioned a sentence of 25 years to life for a third felony conviction. Contrary to Washington, the California law counts nonviolent felonies, such as burglary and theft as “strike” offences; by 2001, over 50,000 criminals had been penalized under the new law, far more than any other state, with almost a quarter of the prisoners facing a minimum of 25 years

The “three strikes and you’re out” law is in effect in different states around the country. In basic terms, the law requires that any offender that is convicted of three violent crimes must receive a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. The law is aimed at reducing crime by focusing on the small percentage of criminals that commit the majority of violent crimes and felonies. Many systems have been lenient with repeat offenders, allowing

The Three-Strikes Law has three different components. Just like marriage, driving, and educational laws the Three-Strikes law has its own version in every state. Unfortunately California’s Three-Strikes law is causing the most controversy. The three parts in California’s law are the defendant’s record of prior convictions, the current charge and the minimum punishment the defendant is facing. A man or woman has to be convicted of two felonies and charged with another one before the Three-Strikes law can come into play. Dictionary.com defines a felony as “an offense, as murder or burglary, of graver character than those called misdemeanors, especially those commonly punished in the U.S. by imprisonment for more than a year” (Brauchli).

In retrospect, should the three strikes law in Texas be amended or abolished? There is an on-going problem that our society faces, and that is prison over-population. According to The Texas Tribune, as of August 2016, there are 143,252 inmates in the Texas prison system. Would an abolishment of the three strikes rule help to alleviate the over-population of Texas prisons? California felt it important enough to take a look at their policy and amended it, should Texas do the same? Many will argue that if an individual commits a third felony that they should be incarcerated for life as they are a menace to society and not helping that community to evolve and become better. The three strikes law is something that can always be argued for

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office information guide, “ The Three Strikes and You're Out Law,” the purpose the Three Strikes Law is to enhance the sentences of really dangerous criminals like rapists, murderers, and many other crimes. This law has led to fewer guilty pleas, increase in jury trials, and to a “reduction in crimes committed by repeat offenders incarcerated for longer periods during its provisions, thus resulting in savings to local and state governments,” (The Three Strikes and You're Out Law). Susan Fisher states that proposition “ 57 effectively overturns key provisions of Mercy’s Law, 3 Strikes and You're Out, Victims Bill of Rights, Californians Against Sexual Exploitation Act - measures enacted by voters that has protected victims and made communities safer, ” (Proposition 57 Voter Information Guide). The purpose of the Three Strikes Law is also to prevent recidivism. Many people, however, have questioned the effectiveness of this law, especially since this law has increased the populations in some prisons, especially those in California, as stated in the article, “Three Strikes Sentencing Law.” However, the Legislative Analyst’s Office guide states that “ the number of inmates sent to prison under the Three Strikes law will be less than it originally projected,” (The Three Strikes and You're Out Law). Although it is criticized for keeping more criminals

Violent offenses included those of murder, attempted murder, rape, child molestation, and armed robbery. This law was also known as “Three Strikes You’re out” in reference to Baseball. The law implemented mandatory life imprisonment under two circumstances. The individual has too have been convicted in federal court for a violent felony. Second, the individual has to have two or more previous convictions both in federal or state courts. The third felony charge resulted in a 25 to life imprisonment without parole. California was the second state to pass the three-strike law in hope to decrease the crime rate. However California is the only state that punishes minor crimes with a life sentence. The Three Strikes Law has decreased violent crimes in California but has decreased at a similar rate than other states who do not have this law. Today California has sentenced more than 40,000 offenders under the Three Strikes Law (Three Strikes Laws Five Years Later 1). The California Department of Corrections reported that 65%, ⅔ of those sentenced under California’s Three Strikes laws were imprisoned for nonviolent offenses (Three Strikes and You’re Out 1). Out of the 400,000 offenders sentenced under the three strike law African Americans make up 43% of it. Studies also prove that blacks make up 7% of our states population but they account for 20% of felony arrests, and 31% of the prison population(Three Strikes Law Five Years Later

According to President Bill Clinton, “We have a chance to pass the toughest, the smartest crime bill in the history of the United States,” and this was the California residents ' belief at the time the Three Strikes and you’re out law took effect in 1994.The purpose of the Three Strikes Law is to punish habitual offenders upon receiving their third conviction of any felony. Initially, if an individual receives a serious or violent felony conviction, this is a first strike; subsequently, the second serious or violent felony charge is a second strike and the individual will serve double the time originally assessed for the first felony. Finally, upon the third felony conviction an individual receives a minimum sentence of twenty five to life in prison. Even though twenty-three states, including the federal government, several politicians such as, Senator Bob Dole, and President Bill Clinton supported the passage of the Three Strikes Law. Undoubtedly, the Three Strikes bandwagon happened during a time in society when fear of crime was at its peak; as a result, law enforcement and other government officials went to the extreme in promising citizens to end habitual crime. Therefore, if the Three Strikes Law is to be a fair and impartial punishment for all criminals’ committing serious and violent crimes; then the crime committed must fit the consequences. Thus, is it fair to condemn a man who has two previous serious felonies for stealing a one dollar item on his third offense,

On an everyday basis, how is the three strikes law affecting people in New Mexico? The three strikes law is one of the most modernized laws in the criminal justice system of the United States, where it has been created in the efforts to reduce and prevent crimes in the states especially for required sentencing laws for repeat criminal offenders. In 2003, more than half of the United States had adopted the three strikes law; in addition, the law is raised when criminals have committed their third felonies. Therefore, these laws execute a harsher penalty of a minimum of 25 years of a life sentence for criminals who have committed a crime for the third time even though their crimes that are not evil. There were many arguments raised when many of the criminals were sent to prison for 25 years for a very small crime such as petty theft. Many of the people in the United States argued that a 25 year prison is very similar to the punishment for committing murder. In 2013, according to The Washington Times Newspaper by associated press, Santa Fe, N.M. (AP) house majority leader Nate Gentry argues that “New Mexico is the second most dangerous state in the nation as far as violent crime goes” (press). This is the result based on the 24/7 Wall Street data; therefore, Gentry also said that it is one of the most dangerous place to be a child because many children are getting affected by the crimes they are seeing from their perspective. For the last few years, three strikes law has

The purpose of the Three Strikes Law is to reduce serious or violent crime rates and provide a means to practice racial disparity in sentencing. The law is also intended to give longer sentences to offenders who are convicted three times. Usually, the first and second convictions result in punishment, but of a more routine appeal. Justice James A. Ardaiz, the Fifth Appellate District of California explained,

One of the most controversial laws in the efforts to reduce crime has been the "three-strikes" laws that have been enacted. This law, which is already in twenty-seven states, requires that offenders convicted of three violent crimes be sentenced to life in prison without chance of parole. The law is based on the idea that the majority of felonies are committed by about 6% of hard core criminals and that crime can be eliminated by getting these criminals off the streets. Unfortunately, the law fails to take into account its own flaws and how it is implemented.

It is hard if not impossible to justify using a person as a means of promoting some good if doing so will harm him (Walen, 2016, p.741), I think the punishment of the three strikes law is extremely excessive for non-violent crimes. The Three Strikes statue provides for mandatory life imprisonment if a convicted felon has been convicted for a serious violent felony. Most repeat offenders are not discouraged from committing violent acts of crime and because of this reason the habitual sentencing does not work as a

A Sociologist would say that if we do not have to confirm with one aspect of religion and how one shall live. We have the right to choose. However, you get what you put out. Your higher power will be who you choose, but Gods plan for cultivating and caring for creation and our fellow neighbor should be what all people should feel and want to do. Some form of that has been lost in our society. We have fallen into a world of I and not us, we have lost the path that was in the divine plan for each and every one of us. We abuse each other verbally, physically, we neglect those who have less and outcast them from our society, we ignore calls and signs for help. We fall prey to misguidance, yet we look for a higher God after the fact. I would say

The Democratic Party wants to crack especially on gangs and drugs. They want to prevent these crimes with community police. Also, they want to make use of the death penalty, including post-conviction reviews on death penalty sentences. The Republican Party also wants to make use of the death penalty. They say criminals behind bars cannot harm the public. Their method of preventing crime is to further enforce existing laws. They also say there should be more victims’ rights. The Libertarian says the Three Strikes approach is illusory and dangerous. They believe the death penalty has failed. For some bad reason, they say drugs, alcohol, prostitution, gambling, and suicide is okay. They want to strengthen the rights of the accused. Hate crimes

Repeat offenders have become a dilemma for the criminal justice system because the repeat offenders are unresponsive to incarceration. Supporters of Proposition 184, known as Three Strike Initiative, insisted lengthy sentences for repeat offenders would reduce crime (Legislative Analyst's Office, 2005). New sentencing policies Three Strike laws will have a major impact on society and the criminal justice system in the future. The state of Washington was the first state to adopt the new three strikes policy in 1993 in response to the high recidivism rates and the murder of Polly Klaus by a repeat and violent criminal offender. California followed suit and is to have the harshest three-strike laws, which classifies felonies violent and serious. Soon after California adopted the three strikes law about two dozen other states joined. The law mandates if a person has two or more previous serious or violent felony convictions, sentence of 25 years to life would be a mandatory (Law Info, 2012).

At the same time, the law also increased funding for the FBI, DEA, INS, US Attorneys and other aspects of the Justice Department. Certain weapon bands are employed; the death penalty is expanded, creates new categories for certain offenses, and creates the three strikes rule (ncjrs.gov). Needless to say, this law has such a wide range of jurisdiction on all aspects of crime, and is widely influential on the handling of crimes against persons. I find the aforementioned Three Strikes Law to be especially impactful on crimes against persons, as the law essentially states that if you are convicted of three crimes considered to meet a certain degree of heinous, imprisonment for life is going to be the next punishment. Essentially, this law allows someone to go to prison for life based on the third offense, regardless of how minor this offense may be, if they have two prior convictions on serious crimes (law.stanford.edu). These laws have made huge progress in creating a sense of concern in potential criminals minds, knowing the punishments, and with the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, the expanded budgetary constraints allowed a much bigger