The state of California added a set of sentencing laws to its court system back in 1994. To people who are convicted of multiple crimes, they imposed extremely rough penalties. The strictest was the California Three Strikes law. To discourage residents of this state from committing crimes is the main reason behind this law. This law has been responsible for unfairly sentencing criminal defendants who committed minor offenses, unfortunately. You may need help posting bond if you find yourself behind bars. Make certain to contact a trusted bail bondsman in this case. Until your trial, this will help you return home. Your bondsman may be able to answer your questions about these sentencing laws in California as well. Today, we at Ajua Bail Bonds would like to further elaborate on the Three Strikes Law in California.
Does the 3 Strikes Law Still Exist?
It is important to understand the Three Strikes law definition if you reside in California. A defendant who has been previously involved in a serious felony will experience heightened consequences for future criminal activity under this law. Understanding the guidelines that deal with convictions of felony crimes is essential. A person is convicted of a serious felony has one mark placed on their record during strike one. This law is not affected by the sentence for this felony. Below are a few examples of a serious felonies.
– Rape
– Murder
– Lewd act on a minor under 14 years of age
– Certain theft
– Arson
– Any punishable felony that gives life in prison or death
The California Three Strikes law goes into action, the next time that this person is convicted of a felony. Prison time is doubled during the sentencing phase of a second crime. Another strike is added to the person’s record at this point. The person is automatically sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison when the person is convicted of a third felony. It is possible to receive life in prison after three convictions of felony crimes. The Three Strikes law takes effect and dictates the punishment even if the latest offense was not serious.
What are the Effects of California’s 3 Strikes Law?
People who were convicted of serious felonies experienced an increase in consequences after the 1994 law was enacted. Individuals who made one or two mistakes faced mandatory imprisonment over minor crimes in many cases. The dramatic repercussion of this law is shown with certain statistics. There were 360 defendants serving life behind bars for shoplifting a few years after this law took effect. For many people, this seemed unfair.
What Major Changes Occurred to the Three Strikes Law?
Residents of California were ready to make changes to the Three Strikes law in 2012 and voted in favor of Proposition 36. In 2 ways, this amended the sentencing rules. If they have two strikes and has been convicted of a serious felony, a defendant may only be sentenced to 25 years to begin. For crimes that were not major, this eliminates the chance of being imprisoned. After a third strike, Proposition 36 brought relief to certain criminals who were serving long sentences as well. The defendant could petition for a lower sentence if the third crime was not violent and was not a serious felony. Proposals to bring further changes to California’s Three Strikes law were brought in 2018. These changes involved the chances of parole. If a person’s third conviction involved a violent felony, sex crime, or murder, life without parole could only be imposed.
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Consider working with a trusted bail bonds company if you have been arrested and need help posting bail. Especially concerning the Three Strikes law definition, an experienced bail bondsman may be able to provide answers if you have questions about the sentencing laws in California. Contact Ajua Bail Bonds and let us assist you!
