P-2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

P-2 - Coursework Example This research essay will analyse in detail whether the three-strike law really minimize crimes in U.S.A in detail. As per King and Mauer (2001), three-strike laws are sentencing laws that inflict exceptionally longer imprisonments for frequent offenders, particularly after their two earlier felonies. Under an incapacitative justification, three –strike laws are championed since it is debated that repeat lawbreakers are more probable to unleash future felonies and hence, they should be given longer period sentence. Three-strike laws or habitual offender laws are in existence as of date almost in more than half of the all states in U.S but only a selected state like California , have regulations that impinge on a large number of frequent offenders .(Pollock 2011,p.322). This research essay will make a research into whether three-strike laws have really minimized felonies and crimes in U.S.A and whether longer punishment for habitual offenders has yielded any reduction crime rates in U.S.A in an in-depth manner. The main objective of three-strike law is to minimize the crime rates by locking up regular and career criminals. When if one is convicted for a second term for a felony , his imprisonment would be doubled under the 1994 California three-strike law and in case of a third felony sentence, there would be a mandatory conviction of twenty-five years to life. Over the years, only California State in U.S.A is having such harsh law for habitual offenders. The supporters of three-strike law like Bill Jones cited that there was a dramatic fall in the crime rate immediately after the introduction of three-strike laws during the 1990s. (â€Å"Babbie, 2012, p376†). According to opponents, California three-strike law is a bad policy both under ethical and practical reasons. Critics argue that California’s three-strike laws imprison those offenders who already crossed their crime-prone age and also punish non-violent criminals by awarding longer