The three-strikes law
The three-strikes law involves life sentence if a person is convicted with a severe crime more than twice; for example, it increases the person prison sentence. On March 7th, 1994, the United States Justice Department first implemented the three strikes law to reduce crime. For example, twenty-eight states in the United States have implemented the three strikes law in that in a few countries a person convicted under the three strikes law is referred to as persistent offender. In contrast, in Missouri, they are regarded as a prior and persistent offender. The paper discusses the impact of the three-strikes law and how it deters crime as follows; increased length of prison stays and crime rates since 1994.
Increased length of a prison stay. The three-strikes law has increased the average length of stay in jail. In 1994 the average time served was 21 months but due to the implementation of the three-strikes law, it grew to 25 months which is 19% increase (Huigens & Chinea, 2018, p. 22). The rise in the length of prison stay and the implementation of the three-strikes law has dramatically reduced the rate of crime in all the states.
Crime rates since 1994. The California crime index measured the overall crime rates, for example, the crime rate declined between 1991 and 1994 by 10% even before the passage of the three-strikes law, and between 1994 and 1999 it reduced by 43% (Huigens & Chinea, 2018, p. 30). It is important to note that the three-strikes law deters crime.
In conclusion, the three-strikes law is not a poorly written law which clogs up the prison system, but it deters crime, for example, this evident through the California crime index from 1994-2003 the crime rate significantly reduced.
Works Cited
Huigens, K. and Chinea, D., 2018. ‘Three Strikes’ Laws and Apprendi’s Irrational, Inequitable Exception for Recidivism.