Three-Strikes Law Reduces Crime Rates

“3 Strikes Targets Less-Violent, Older Offenders, Study Finds” (Aug. 23) defies both the facts and common sense. The Washington-based Sentencing Project, which released the study, has opposed sentencing criminals to prison for any length of time since it was formed in 1986.

It opposed the adoption of California’s three-strikes law seven years ago, claiming the change would cause major increases in our prison population and incarceration costs and would not reduce crime. Now, while conceding that a huge increase in inmates and costs did not occur, the study tries to make the case that while California has led the nation in reducing crime since the adoption of the three-strikes law, the reduction was caused by other factors. Real research by nonpolitical academics has confirmed that when sentences are reduced the crime rate goes up, when they are increased, the crime rate goes down.

Michael Rushford

Criminal Justice Legal

Foundation, Sacramento