Increased Sentences. Repeat Offenders (Three Strikes)

INCREASED SENTENCES. REPEAT OFFENDERS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. • Increases sentences for defendants convicted of any felony who have prior convictions for violent or serious felonies such as rape, robbery or burglary. • Convicted felons with one such prior conviction would receive twice the normal sentence for the new offense. Convicted felons with two or more such prior convictions would receive a life sentence with a minimum term three times the normal sentence or 25 years, whichever is greater. • Includes as prior convictions certain felonies committed by juveniles 16 years of age, or older. • Reduces sentence reduction credit which may be earned by these convicted felons. Summary of Legislative Analyst\u27s Estimate of Net State and Local Government Fiscal Impact: • Provisions of this measure are identical to a law that was enacted in March 1994. That law will (1) increase state prison operating costs by hundreds of millions of dollars annually, reaching about $3 billion in 2003 and about $6 billion annually by 2026; (2) increase state prison construction costs by about $20 billion; (3) have an unknown net fiscal effect on local ~ governments; and (4) possibly result in other savings of unknown magnitude to state and local governments to the extent prison sentences prevent offenders from committing additional crimes for which government would have incurred costs. • Because this measure reaffirms the March 1994 changes, it would have no direct fiscal impact on state and local governments