Position why i agree with the 3 strikes your out law - Research Paper Example

Why I Agree With the 3 Strikes Law I dare you to turn on your television and tune in to the nightly or cable news broadcasts and tell me that the news about the increasing amount of crime rates does not bother you. Tell me that the reports about how people with criminal records, those with repeat offender status do not bother you, especially when that person is connected with yet another crime that could have happened to you. Our laws are meant to protect the upstanding citizens of this great land from people like that.

From criminals and criminal minds that prove to fall under the category of “unable to reform” even after many jail visits and prison sentences. These are the very people that the 3 Strikes Law was designed to protect the population from and I for one am very happy that this law is in place to protect me from the harm that can be caused by such offenders and criminals (Reaves, Jessica “Whats Wrong With “Three Strike” Laws?”). According to Californias Legislative Analysts Office, this law is the reason why the judicial system in the state has seen an increase in felony cases.

This is mainly because the repeat offenders would rather take their chances in a jury trial in the hopes of an acquittal rather than using the plea bargain in order to lighten their sentences (Brown, Brian & Jolivette Greg, “A Primer: Three Strikes After More Than a Decade”). Although the law seems to be creating a backlog in our justice system, it is important to acknowledge the fact that the DOJ California Crime Index has actually shown a decrease in the crimes rates of the state since the passing of the law: The crime rate continued to decline after Three Strikes, falling by 43 percent statewide between 1994 and 1999, though it has risen by about 11 percent since 1999.

Similarly, the violent crime rate declined by 8 percent between 1991 and 1994 and then fell an additional 43 percent between 1994 and 2003. (Brown, Brian & Jolivette Greg, “A Primer: Three Strikes After More Than a Decade”). The laws of our land are not perfect. In fact, it is full of flaws that are not realized until decades later when the criminals begin to flaunt those legal loopholes that are found by their lawyers. It is this reality that has always put offenders who should have been put away for life back on our streets.

The 3 Strikes Law makes sure that they are kept off the street and prevented from doing any further harm to the public. Those who oppose the law say that it is an unjust and cruel punishment for those convicted of petty crimes. If a person has committed the same crime twice and has been convicted for it, and he knows that he can get put permanently away if he gets caught a 3rd time, that tells me that this person is beyond help and needs to be dealt with in another manner. The 3 strikes Law definitely fits the bill.

The law is not an unreasonable one as its detractors try to make us believe. Rather, it is a law that gives the repeat offenders, those who are always convicted of the crimes they commit, a chance to reflect and totally turn their lives around. Criminal minds work in a different manner than that of normal people. Therefore, the punishments need to escalate in order to get through to them. That is what the 3 Strikes Law tries to do. (Meissler, Joe “Is The Three Strikes Law, Which Provides a Mandatory 25-Life Sentence for a 3rd Felony Conviction a Good Idea?) I will admit that the law can seem harsh at times and perhaps it does not appeal to certain petty theft cases.

However, the law is not one that is set in stone. It can actually be appealed and/or opposed in a court of law on the basis of a violation of the 8th Amendment in regards to cruel and unusual punishment. All criminals are welcome to their day in court and the right to an appeal. They should use it. However, leave the law in place. It is a law that actually sides with the victims of a crime that is not always the case. For some reason, the rights of the accused are more protected than the right of the victims.

The 3 Strikes Law is one of the few laws that really protects the public, so let it be. Works CitedBrown, Brian & Jolivette, Greg. “A Primer: The 3 Strikes Law - The Impact After More Than aDecade”. Legislative Analysts Office. lao.ca.ogv. Oct. 2005. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. Garvey, Sarah. “California Three Strikes Law”. Shouse Law Group. shouselaw.com. 2012.Web. 20 Apr. 2012. Messerli, Joe.” Is the 3 Strikes Law, Which Provides Mandatory 25-Life Sentences for a 3rdFelony Conviction, a Good Idea?

” BalancedPolitics.org. BalancedPolitics.org. 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. Reaves, Jessica. “Whats Wrong With “3 Strike Laws”?” . Time U.S. time.com. 7 Mar. 2003.Web. 20 Apr. 2012.