Three Strikes You're Out?: Three Strike Reformation

Monday, November 26, 2012

Three Strike Reformation

I believe we should change the three strikes law. If a criminal is being charged for a serious crime like rape or murder they should not have the benefit of the 3 strikes chance. These people should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, not give another 2 opportunities to do it again. Same goes for people that commit small crimes. A person should not get a life sentence for doing something minor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/magazine/23strikes-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Norman Williams was` a man that once though he would never be free again. This man was sentenced to life in prison after committing three crimes thus getting three strikes. What were his crimes? Theft, in 1987 he was caught burglarizing an apartment that was being fumigated. In 1992 he got caught stealing tools from an art studio and finally 1997 Williams got caught stealing a floor jack form a tow truck. These were his three strikes. What Williams did is a crime and should be punished rightfully so, I disagree that he deserved to get life in prison. Luckily for Williams 2000 Los Angeles County attorney Cooley order a review of cases to see who did not truly commit serious crimes. William’s name along with another 60 inmates came up for review. Although only 60 names came up there is a possibility that many other inmates are stuck in the same situation Williams was in. By having the three strikes set up we are essentially letting some criminals get away with real serious crimes, heck, they have a second opportunity to commit the same crime again before risking life imprisonment. These more serious criminals are the ones that should not benefit from the three strikes law; we are putting the general public in danger by letting these people back into society.

http://www.balancedpolitics.org/three_strikes.htm

The cons for this law completely outweigh the pros. It doesn’t give the court total control, if a criminal committed a serious crime for the first time is going to be really though to give them life in prison. What about young criminals, teenagers are reckless, insane, and driven by hormones; would it be fair to give them life in prison for getting in trouble with the law for their third time? This law cost the tax payers more money to maintain since it puts more prisoners into prison for a longer period of time. This law may target repeat offenders but is there a better way to go about this? Can we get programs to help these people? Sure it will cost money but would you rather pay to rehabilitate these minor criminal so they will come back to society as a functional individual or just pay for their housing, food, and everything else we pay for while they are serving their life terms in prison?

Quotes

“Fix it or lose it” (Cooley)

Cooley knew this law is flawed so either we fix it or get rid of it because as it stands it is not really helping anyone.

“Under California’s version of three strikes, first and second strikes must be either violent or serious. These include crimes like murder, attempted murder, rape, child molestation and armed robbery. But in California, ‘serious’ is a term of art that can also include crimes like Norman Williams’s”

How are we distinguishing what is and what is not a serious crime? Either we figure it out or get a new law system.

Is committing three small crimes equivalent to murder? Should these people receive the same punishment? Answer to both is no. These criminals should be punish to the degree of their crimes. Not by how many time they commit the crime.

Edgar Limon

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Frequently Asked Questions

All FAQS are taken from the Official California Voters Guide

1. Will prop 36 costs California tax payer’s money?

It will "save California over $100 million every year"; specifically, "Taxpayers could save over $100 million per year—money that can be used to fund schools, fight crime and reduce the state’s deficit. The Three Strikes law will continue to punish dangerous career criminals who commit serious violent crimes—keeping them off the streets for 25 years to life."

2. What was the effect of the three strike law?

California saw a 37% drop in crime in the first four years after implementing "Three Strikes".

3. What kind of affect will prop 36 have in the jail system?

It will "make room in prison for dangerous felons"; specifically, "Prop. 36 will help stop clogging overcrowded prisons with non-violent offenders, so we have room to keep violent felons off the streets."

4. What does prop 36 try to change?

It will "make the punishment fit the crime"; specifically, "Precious financial and law enforcement resources should not be improperly diverted to impose life sentences for some non-violent offenses. Prop. 36 will assure that violent repeat offenders are punished and not released early.

5. Compared to other states how did the 3 strike law match up?

While all states have seen drops [in crime], none have as much as in California.

About Us

Hi, my name is Edgar Limon. I am your average college student just trying to get by. I usually like to spend my spare time longboarding or playing Black Ops 2. I am for Prop 36 for many reasons.

My name is Logan Wilson I am a republican and I am I am 19 years old. I’m an admirer of the great President Ronald Reagan. I currently am attending CSUN and I am studying to become a political science major.

My name is Guillermo Galvez, I am 19 years old and I am a freshman at California State University, Northridge. Film is a great interest of mine, so I am majoring in Pre-cinema and I hope to have a career in film upon graduation.

Hello my name is Henry. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.

Hi my name is Richard Sanchez. I’m 18 years old and I’m from Pasadena.

Hello, I'm Joseph LeGarreta. I'm from the San Fernando Valley and I am currently a freshman at CSUN studying Computer Information Technology. I enjoy films, sports, playing the guitar, and I always like learning something new.

I hope to open the minds of those who read this blog to all sides of proposition 36, and perhaps even change their perspectives.

I found it very interesting how prior to writing this blog I didn't have a solid opinion on proposition 36. However, after having done research and reading numerous articles, I can say I am in favor of the proposition.

I learned that issues like this are not always black and white. If you take the time to read other people's perspectives on issues and their experiences, it is likely to have an effect on you. It is important that people in our society take the time to research current events and educate themselves. I'm a busy person just like anyone else, but I aim to set aside a bit of time every day to read the news. Issues like proposition 36 effect us all, even if indirectly.

I recommend the readers keep an open mind while going through this blog, and try to understand not only what the authors wrote, but the authors themselves.

Hello, my name is Yanet Avacu Gutierrez! I am 18 years old and I’m majoring in Communications at California State University Northridge.

We hope that our readers become educated on the subject of “Three Strikes” law and how it affects our community as a whole. This a current issue that has a great impact on our society. We hope that our readers become inspired to research more into these topics and form their own opinions.

The most interesting thing we found was how these laws affect prison terms. We often heard about terms such as “25 years to life in jail” but we never realized how long 10, 20, or 30 years in prison could be for a certain individual. We also found the history of how the “Three Strikes” law, or Prop 184, came into affect.

We learned the legalities of the “Three Strikes” law that we didn’t know before. We didn’t know that a second strike conviction received double the prison sentence. We also learned how Prop 36 worked to change parts of Prop 184. We realized how important our decisions can be on ourselves and our loved ones. We also learned the impact of our laws and how it emotionally affected every one of us. We plan to stay up to date on any future initiatives on the “Three Strikes” law so that we are able to voice our opinions.
We recommend that our readers research these topics. Simple things such as watching the news for an hour every morning really helps. Also, look into who is supporting these propositions and for what reasons. We found many helpful credible websites that helped us understand Prop 36. Also, social media sites such as YouTube posted informational and unbiased videos.