Running head: AGREEMENT AND DISAGREEMENT
Agreement and Disagreement
Criminal Justice Policy Analysis
CJA 463
November 24, 2008
Agreement and Disagreement
In 1994 California voters passed Proposition 184 regarding criminal sentencing. Proposition 184, “Three strikes and you’re out”, significantly increases the prison sentences of convicted felons who have been convicted of a prior violent or serious felony. The three strikes and you’re out law also limits these offenders’ ability to receive a sentence of anything other than prison time. This law is a terrible crime policy only as it is written. If we rewrite the proposition and establish certain definitions within the proposition it may prove to be more beneficial in criminal justice than in the past.
Although the three strikes law was created to help lower crime rates, lower recidivism rates, and lower prison overcrowding current studies are showing that this law is doing the opposite. In an article written by Alexandra Marks, a staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor, she discusses how a study completed by the Justice Policy Institute based in Washington found that found that of California's largest 12 counties, those that used three strikes the least had far greater declines in violent crime - than counties using three strikes the most. Based on the many studies that are showing these same statistics this proposition that the three strikes law is a terrible crime policy is correct. The three strikes law in hindsight is an excellent solution to lowering recidivism rates, lowering crime rates and stopping prison overcrowding. However, the way proposition 184 is currently is increasing the very issues the law was designed to help lower.
In order for the three strikes law to be incorporated into criminal justice policy the law must be revised to include more definitive ideas of exactly what crimes are considered violent crimes applicable to this law. Once California...