Everything You Need to Know About California’s Three Strikes Law
In 1994, California passed the three-strikes law. This law was originally intended to keep repeat criminals off the street, but it has led to many complications and hardships. If you have had repeat offenses, then it’s worth it to understand this law and how it may affect you.Defining the Three Strikes Law
The three-strikes law outlines that anyone who has been convicted of a third offense of a crime must serve a minimum of 25 years in prison. This law includes a variety of crimes such as grand theft, assault, kidnapping, murder, arson, and more. Three convictions of these types of crimes can have serious implications about a person’s character. They are often deemed dangerous which is why this law was created. It was meant to keep criminals of this nature off the street. However, the three-strikes law has not always worked as intended.Why It Causes Hardships
With the three strikes law, many people face serious consequences that they don’t deserve. For example, some people may fall victim to the three-strikes law for crimes such as petty theft. This type of crime shouldn’t warrant such a long time in prison. Additionally, some people can be convicted via the three strikes law even if they committed a crime before the law was in place. This means they can be punished for past offenses that were not illegal at the time. Many have also already served time for their crimes and end up serving even longer. In most cases, they have already paid their dues and don’t need a longer stay in prison.Why You Need an Attorney
If you have been convicted of a third offense, you need to have legal representation. Many people face unfair outcomes in their cases due to the three-strikes law. An attorney can help you to navigate the system so you can have a more favorable outcome. Your attorney can work with you in order to lessen your charges or fight the charges you have been given. With their help, you can avoid the consequences of the three-strikes law. The three-strikes law has been controversial since it was first created. It was intended to do good, but it has also caused many hardships. Understanding it and how it affects you can potentially better your situation. Were you recently charged with a third offense? Click here to find an experienced attorney to help your case.Bradley Corbett
Bradley Corbett is a criminal defense attorney in San Diego. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo Utah in 2004. Later he enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego where he participated in a prestigious internship program with the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Since then he has handled over 2,000 cases.