Prosecutors More Selectively Using California's 'Three-Strikes' Law
Prosecutors throughout California have scaled back use of the state’s three-strikes sentences, vastly reducing the number of lifetime prison terms sought under the statute.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reports that prosecutors in Sacramento used to obtain maximum sentences 50 to 100 times a year. But the office now only seeks life terms fewer than 20 times a year, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Outside of Sacramento, the paper reports a similar trend, with varying explanations.
A California Supreme Court ruling in 1996 giving judges a say in three-strikes sentencing may be one factor. The paper also notes that over the years, legislators have approved tougher sentencing laws aimed at incarcerating career offenders even before they would qualify for life terms under the three-strikes statute.
Finally, prosecutors tell the paper that they’ve become better at determining which offenders to target.
Hat tip: How Appealing.
