Ryan S. King and Marc Mauer

Three-strikes laws impose severe imprisonment sentences on serious, habitual criminals who have been convicted of a second or third felony offense. In the following viewpoint, Ryan S. King and Marc Mauer argue that three-strikes laws are flawed and should be reformed. They reject the claim that three-strikes laws have led to a drop in crime rates, insisting that other factors such as an improved economy and improved policing have caused the decline. In addition, three-strikes laws often levy disproportionate punishment on criminals, some of whom are sent to prison for life for petty crimes such as stealing a candy bar. The law will have a significant impact on increasing the prison population, including the number of elderly prisoners, placing an extraordinary burden on the penal system. King is a research associate with The...