Repeals California’s three-strikes sentencing statues Essay Example

California is particularly effective in combatting habitual law offenders and reducing crime in society. Its lengthy imprisonment verdict can eliminate or reduce the chances of criminals causing harm to people. The California version of the three-strikes sentencing statute has been the center of controversy, making it the most disputed among all states.

Despite much debate, it is undeniable that California's new sentencing law has led to a yearly decrease of 1,200 offenders under the three strikes legislation. I believe this statute has successfully lowered crime rates across the state. To fully comprehend this issue, one must consider California's current situation as America's third largest state with a significant population of financial engineers and considerable revenue streams. This makes California an essential testing ground for evaluating the effectiveness of the three-strikes sentencing statute in combating crime.

Over the course of a few decades, California's population has doubled, resulting in it becoming the 34th most populous country globally. Despite its large population, California ranks among the top ten economies worldwide and possesses a financial system capable of accommodating its growth. The state has experienced considerable social and economic transformations over time, leading to its placement as the 13th fastest-growing US state. As of 2007, California had achieved an impressive populace of 37.7 million individuals, solidifying its position as America's most populated state. (Answers Corporation)

With eight of the top 50 most populated cities in the United States and a significant role in generating financial revenue for the nation, California must prioritize safety and maintain a dependable criminal law system to safeguard its citizens and thriving economy. Criminal incidents pose a common threat and obstruction to overall state or national growth

and stability.

It is crucial for the three-strikes sentencing statute to stay in place to safeguard the common welfare of the people and prevent violence and criminality throughout California. As the most populous state, California must utilize the social benefits that come with this system, as it has been proven to be effective in reducing crime rates state-wide. In 1994, when the new three-strikes sentencing statute was implemented as a criminal statute, crime rate in California decreased considerably. In that year, the criminality rate index for the entire state was 6,173.

The criminality rate of the entire state of California has consistently decreased since the implementation of the three-strikes sentencing statute, compared to its previous figure of 6,456.9 in the 1993 California Law Enforcement Agency Uniform Crime Reports. This improvement has been significant and comes after a long period of struggle. Although some perceive it as illegal and biased, the three-strikes sentencing statute is essential for California because it helps maintain its position as a leading state in terms of economic function within the United States. The statute is a potent tool in lowering criminality rates and protecting society from violence and crime's negative effects. It should be noted that California historically experienced a yearly increase in criminality and law offenses.

Despite an increase in population during the early 1990s, California experienced a notable rise in crime rates. The three-strikes sentencing statute caused controversy at the time, but after its implementation, there was a noticeable decrease in crime rates throughout the state (as reported by The Disaster Center). By the start of the 21st century, California's population had officially reached 30 million individuals - double what it once

was. According to data from California Law Enforcement Agency Uniform Crime Reports between 1980 and 2005 and accounting for an estimated population of 33,871,648 in 2000 (ranking first for population), there were a total of 3,739.7 reported incidents per every 100,000 people.

California's Crime Index is ranked 30th, with a Violent Crime rate of 621.6 incidents per 100,000 people, placing it at the country's 9th position. The state also reports a Property crime incident rate of 3,118.

In 2000, California's rate of 2 per 100,000 people ranked as the 33rd highest. The state had a Murder rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people, ranking them as the 16th highest and a Forced Rape rate of 28.9 per 100,000 people, ranking them as the 31st highest.

With a rate of 177.9 per 100,000 people, California is the 7th ranked state in terms of robbery. Additionally, it ranks 9th for aggravated assaults with a rate of 408.7 incidents per 100,000 people and is number 26 among states for burglaries with a rate of 656.3 incidents per 100,000 people.

As per The Disaster Center, California has a reported larceny-theft rate of 1,924.5 per 100,000 people and the seventh highest vehicle theft rate in the country at 537 per 100,000 people which ranks it as the 40th highest among all states. However, despite these numbers, California's crime index has been successfully reduced and maintained by its three-strikes sentencing statute. The critical year crime index figures prove that this statute has effectively lowered crime rates and placed California in a favorable position on the national crime rank.

Despite its effectiveness, California's three-strikes sentencing statute continues to be a subject of debate and objection. Critics assert that

it causes prison overcrowding and places a heavier burden on the state budget due to already existing inmates. Proponents, on the other hand, contend that the potential dangers posed by criminals when free outweigh local prison overcrowding concerns. They suggest that California's vast land areas provide ample space for constructing new prisons and jails to house law offenders.

Increasing the budget for prison or jail programs for state law offenders is a worthwhile expense as it prevents them from causing harm to children, women and other citizens if they were released. Therefore, I support California's three-strikes sentencing statute as an effective measure against rising crime rates. This law has been proven dependable in reducing criminal activity throughout the state. Having reliable laws to sentence and control crime is essential for California, given the evidence presented in this paper.
References: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE5D8113AF933A15757C0A963958260 and http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/cacrime.htm