I’ve been reading about the Three Strikes Law and I’m kinda confused. Basically, it’s a law that hits people with a life sentence if they’re convicted of three serious crimes. It’s been around since the 90s, and 24 states have some version of it. But how does it work exactly? Do old convictions count or only new ones? And does it apply to juvenile crimes too? Also, can someone fight a charge from a juvenile conviction under this law?
Yeah, the Three Strikes Law was designed to increase penalties for repeat offenders. It’s not about convicting someone under a ‘three strikes’ rule; it just kicks in during sentencing. So, if you get a 3rd conviction, they can hit you with life. Even if those crimes happened years ago, they count! Some states even count juvenile offenses if they were serious, like theft.
I’ve heard that in some states, it doesn’t even matter if the third crime happened in the same event. You could have two separate charges from the same crime, and they’ll still count as ‘strikes.’ It’s crazy how they count charges, not cases .
About the California law, yes, corporal injury to a spouse can count as a strike. It’s considered a serious crime and can count as a felony under their Three Strikes Law.
I’ve read that some states count old convictions too, even if the first offense happened before the three strikes law was a thing. So yeah, even if your first offense happened before the law was enacted, it could still be used to enhance your sentence later.
Yeah, that’s what makes it tricky. Some states don’t give you a pass just because the first offense was before the law came in. It’s really up to how the state handles it and how the prosecutor decides to use your past against you.