Proposition 66 and the Governor’s Support

Re the arguments over Proposition 66: What’s the difference whether 26,000 or 4,200 criminals are potentially turned loose on the streets? Criminals are criminals. Since three-strikes was enacted, violent crime has been reduced 25% in California. Studies show the average felon commits 22 serious career crimes. Use 4,200 as the number and common sense tells us we have potentially eliminated 92,400 crimes by keeping these felons in prison. While proponents are searching for the perfect law, my children and grandchildren are safer. I’ll err on the side of law-abiding citizens over “nonserious felons” every time.

Harry B. Heath

Los Angeles

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In his TV ads against Proposition 66, the amendment to the three-strikes law, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger shows how unprincipled he really is. By saying the law will release 26,000 rapists, murderers and child molesters, the governor distorts the amendment, which would release prisoners whose third strike was not rape, murder or child molestation, and who have already served their sentences for their earlier crimes.

The amendment is in fact an attempt to correct the fact that three-strikes imposes 25-year sentences on pizza thieves. Anyone who still sees Schwarzenegger as a moderate political reformer should take note of the way he cynically misleads voters in this paid ad.

Alfred W. Cramer

Claremont