Ventura, California Three "3 Strikes" Law

The California Three Strikes Law is not one that you want to be a part of having to know, but if you have been convicted of 2 felonies, you most certainly will want to have legal representation and do everything possible not to receive a third felony conviction. What follows is the message that the California Department of Justice and the California Department of Corrections want to convey. It is scary information and understand that this is your life we are talking about. The California Department of Justice and the California Department of Corrections see no need to repeal the 3 Strikes Law, nor modify it. What you are about to read should scare you! Never, ever enter the court house facing a felony without an experienced Ventura criminal defense attorney.

The 3 Strikes Law Story They Tell – The Story To FEAR.

It has been reported by the California Department of Justice and the California Department of Corrections that for the ten years prior to the enactment of the “3 strikes law” California homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, and vehicle theft totaled 8,825,353 convicted crimes, but for the ten years after the enactment of the 3 strikes law, these same felony crimes dropped to 6,780,964. However the decline in felony crime was a general trend throughout the United States, even in those parts of the country without three strikes laws.

The California Department of Justice and the California Department of Corrections statistics have been used by its supporters to report that another common criticism is that the 3 strikes law puts strain on an already overcrowded prison system. However they say, for the ten years prior to the enactment of the “3 strikes law,” the California prison population expanded by 400% and for the ten years after there was an overall increase of only 25.5%, a massive decrease in prison population expansion.

Some people outside the California Department of Justice and the California Department of Corrections have said that there would need to be many new prisons built to house all of these criminals. However, for the ten years prior to the law, 19 new prisons were built in California, while in the ten years after no new prisons were built. Nevertheless, the increase in prison population and lack of additional prisons has added to prison overcrowding.

Finally, there is the idea and heavily contested thought that California criminals on their last strike will be more desperate to escape from California police and therefore will be more likely to attack police. However, this does not reveal whether or not the criminals in question were or were not more desperate and willing to kill.

There Have Been Controversial Convictions in California

There is the on insane case where Kevin Weber was sentenced to 26 years to life for the crime of stealing four chocolate chip cookies. Because of his previous strikes of burglary and assault with a deadly weapon) the prosecutors said the six-time parole violator broke into the restaurant to rob the safe after a busy Mother's Day holiday, but he triggered the alarm system before he could do it. When arrested, his pockets were full of cookies he had taken from the restaurant so they charged him with a felony and the jury convicted him of felonious cookie stealing.

This is the penal code system that you face. We strongly suggest you enter court with an experienced criminal defense lawyer like Tim Quinn.