Three Strikes Reform Act Gaining Momentum
By: Miles Maurino
Two Stanford Law School professors, David Mills and Michael Romano, have written a ballot initiative that would reduce the number of inmates that are currently incarcerated under the Three Strikes Law. The Three Strikes Reform Act most significant reform proposes is for non-violent, non-serious felons to receive twice the normal sentence on the third felony offense instead of a life sentence. One of the main goals of the bill aims to remove courts power to sentence convicts to 25 to life when their crimes have been neither violent nor serious. Currently, California is the only state that allows for third time offenders, regardless of the crime, to be sentenced to life in prison.
According to the Office of the Attorney General the main components of the ballot initiative will be as follows:
1. Requires that murderers, rapists, child molesters will receive life sentences, even if they are convicted of a new minor third strike crime.
2. Requires life sentence only when a defendant’s current conviction is for a violent or serious crime.
3. Maintains that repeat offenders convicted of non-violent, non-serious crimes like shoplifting and simple drug possession will receive twice the normal sentence instead of 25 years to life.
4. Save the State hundreds of million dollars. The State will no longer pay for housing, long term health care for elderly, low-risk, non-violent inmates serving life sentences for minor crimes.
5. Prevent the early release of dangerous criminals who are currently being released early because jails and prisons are so overcrowded.
To qualify for the ballot in November, the initiative will need to gather 504,000 signatures by May 14. A challenge of that magnitude puts significant pressure for supporters to adequately fundraise, which they have done so to date. As of February 12th , advocates have raised over $1.2 million, but the funding has primarily been donated by only three donors. According to thecriminalreport.org $600,000 was contributed by initiative author David Mills; $500,000 by philanthropist George Soros and $100,000 chipped in from Washington D.C. investor Peter Ackerman.
The initiative aims to restore the original purpose of the Three Strikes Law (to lock up serious, violent offenders) and to ensure that state resources are not being exploited by incarcerating non-serious offenders. A similar measure was proposed in 2004 but was defeated after an onslaught of attack ads spearheaded by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nonetheless it was rejected with 47.3% of the vote, leaving the door open for victory this time around.
the three strike law is very unfair law. Many people don’t even know what this law is or what it means. What the three strikes law said it that people that have a strike priors face life in prison even for the smallest crime. The law was passed in the early 90’s. at the time that the law was being passed there were many bad thing on the news and t.v. I believe that many people were just scared of what was happening that they all jumped on the boat. The law sound good, and sound like it should work but it is not. life is game and no one wants to loose, so don’t get stuck out. In the game that all americans love (baseball sucks) we still have a chance to win. We have fouls and balls in the game. the law is the pitcher and not a good one, so why don’t we get a foul for small crimes instead of getting stuck out. the three strikes law double your time for the second offense, after the first time in jail i personally wouldn’t want to go to jail again and stay longer. The way the system works in unfair to the person going through it. Jail is a very violent place. If you want to survive in jail to have to defend yourself. Inmates are placed in situations where they earn there third strike in jail for defending them. the three strikes law has been tweaked and thing have been added that make it worst than what it is. M. Meja
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