Supreme Court Upholds 'Three-Strikes' Sentence

Reuters ^ | 3/5/03

[HiTech RedNeck]

However, as more states adopt this and 'crime' records from other states become admissible (what? a friend left their bong in your car in Tennessee?), simply going elsewhere will no longer be a serious option.

California, in particular, could get far more crime-stopping mileage out of pro-actively deporting illegal aliens, than out of this. It threatens to become another province of Mexico in a few years at the current rate.

[FreeTally]

California, in particular, could get far more crime-stopping mileage out of pro-actively deporting illegal aliens, than out of this

I hear you. Would probably see a dramatic decline in crime rates. Wont happen, unfortunately(well, I keep my fingers crossed).

[supercat]

No, the argument in #47 is wrong. The punishment is not for stealing the golf clubs, the severe punishment is for the series of crimes that led to the final court appearance. It is the accumulative debt that the perpetrator owes to society. It is like a debtor who is given grace on his mortgage payment time and time again. Finally he misses a payment without asking for grace and the bank hits him with a repo notice.

I have no particular problem with this philosophy provided that all three offenses occur after the passage of the "three-strikes" statute. Since the function of the three-strikes statute is to add a temporarily-waived additional punishment to the earlier crimes, such a statute would constitute ex-post-facto legislation were it applied to crimes committed before its passage.

On a related note, I think that there should be some provision indicating that convicted felons who go crime-free for some period of time after completion of prison and probation terms should have all their rights restored, and have some degree of lenity on the three-strikes law (another felony could throw them in the slammer for a long time, but a misdemeanor probably shouldn't).

[husky ed]

Sucks to be him!

[sinkspur]

Robert Bork wrote SLOUCHING TOWARD GOMORRAH, not Scalia.

[Barnacle]

I am not comfortable with that law. It is ripe for abuse. Try each case independently, consider past convictions and keep them in for the duration of their sentence. But to say, this is the third one, it’s 25 years for you.

That’s simply bad law. If we applied the laws on the books, they wouldn’t need this bad one.

[wiseone]

3 strikes may seem harsh,but compared to Canada,where Murderers regularly get short sentences,or parole after a few months or years ,you do see justice in USA.

Life & liberty is worthless in Canada,Thanks to Pierre Trudeau's Charter of Rights, unelected judges now write our laws.Murderers regularly get short sentences,or parole after a few months or years.
.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Good for California.....Throw away the freaking key.....

[Joe Hadenuf]

If you think the three strike laws are too harse, invite the criminals into your state and treat them with kindness, as long as they are off the streets, I am happy.

I'll bump that!

[Joe Hadenuf]

The three strikes enactment was one of the best things to ever happen to California.

You got that right Dave.

[Joe Hadenuf]

California, in particular, could get far more crime-stopping mileage out of pro-actively deporting illegal aliens

We tried to take out the money and government support of illegal aliens, we held an election and won prop 187 in a huge landslide. The federal government stepped in and burned our ballots and declared our election illegal.

That's why they are now showing up in your state, in a big way...

[Frank_2001]

The take-home message is, THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, and everybody better learn it. But of course the guvummint skoolz would rather teach you how to put on a condom, then teach morality and respect for the property of others!