Issues of Diversity in Criminal Justice

Issues of Diversity in Criminal Justice

Key Assignment: Revision of the Three Strikes Law

CJUS625-1303B-01

Phase 5 Individual Project

By: Larry Jones

Instructor: Professor Normann

Septemeber 22, 2013

Based off Week 4 Assignment

ASSIGNMENT USED IN PREVIOUS CJUS625-1302A-01 WITH PROFESSOR UMEKI RAMSEY MAY 13, 2013

Three Strikes Law in Oklahoma

Revision of the New Policy Law Proposal

To: Governor Mary Fallen Date: September 22, 2013

From: Larry Jones, State Policy Maker

RE: Three Strikes Law

The purpose of the Three Strikes Law was to ensure longer prison sentences for repeat offenders through the use of mandatory minimum sentences for those offenders with prior felony convictions. The legislature penalized repeat felony offenders by an automatic 25 year to life sentence for the third felony. The law also went after the second-time offence by taking away the probation and doubling the sentence. This was an attempt to stop offenders who continued to commit crimes and take away their opportunity to re-offend. With this being said, I am concerned about the heavy tax burdens on the elected officials in the State of Oklahoma. Will the cost of running prisons rise with the Three Strikes Law? In this proposal, I will discuss some these issues and policy changes that needs to be implemented within the Three Strikes Law.

In March 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on two separate cases involving California’s law providing mandatory 25 years to life for convictions for the third felony, but failed to overturn the law, even in the on sought of arguments in relations to cruel and unusual punishment which violates the Eighth Amendment. Congress also responded to the recidivism rate in the U.S. by enacting the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which mandates life imprisonment for the commission of a serious violent felony or a combination of two or more serious felonies.

The Three Strikes Law originated and approved by the voters in 1994, has...