| If someone has committed a criminal offense on | | | | Under the California Three Strikes Law if a person |
| three or more times and has been convicted for | | | | is convicted for felony and it just so happens that |
| the same then it is mandatory that they are put | | | | this person has been caught committing a criminal |
| behind bars for even a longer period of time. This | | | | offense twice before then he or she will be |
| is known as the three strikes law and it is | | | | imprisoned for a minimum period of 25 years. |
| enacted by state governments of the United | | | | Although there are instances where on the last |
| States. This statute became very famous in the | | | | strike criminals have desperately tried to escape |
| 90's. | | | | the police which intern has resulted in probable |
| This legislation got nation-wide attention in 1994 | | | | attacks. Someone serving term for getting a |
| when the people of California voted for its | | | | second or a third strike must complete 80% of |
| activation. This meant that offenders committing | | | | the sentence before being eligible for an early |
| a third act of felony will be put behind bars for at | | | | release. Convicts with no previous strike records |
| least 25 years to a maximum period of life time | | | | serve half the sentence period if the nature of |
| sentence. Second time offenders had to serve | | | | the crime is non violent. |
| double of what the minimum sentence term was. | | | | People who have supported the three strikes law |
| Though this has attracted a lot of critics, people | | | | have always believed in its true potential. The |
| of California have supported the true potential of | | | | cause of the declining crime rate in the 90's was |
| this legislation. Crime rate has plummeted on a | | | | due to this law being implemented. This legislation |
| colossal scale since the 90's only because this law | | | | is often considered a success because this has |
| was enacted. Although there are examples where | | | | kept the offenders off the street and behind |
| it can be seen that African Americans and Latino's | | | | closed bars for at least 25 years. |
| are disproportionately affected by this legislation. | | | | |