Three Strikes Law: Intended Goals and Unintended Consequences Essay

Intended and Unintended Consequences of the Three Strikes Law

The initial intended consequence that the policy-makers were hoping to achieve by adopting the Three Strikes Law was to deter repeat offenders from committing additional crimes. A life sentence for a third felony conviction was supposed to discourage individuals with a history of criminal behavior from committing further offenses, regardless of their severity, so as to ensure public safety (Hetey & Eberhardt, 2018). The unintended consequences, however, included the overcrowding of the Californian prisons as well as disproportionate sentencing: many individuals received life sentences for nonviolent crimes.

The Effectiveness of Reactionary Policies in Addressing Violent Crime

Crafting a reactionary policy like the Three Strikes law was a response to the perception of a rising violent crime rate, which was indeed a concern in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The policy-makers decided to address the social issue by making punitive measures stricter expecting crime prevalence to drop due to these measures.

Rational Choice vs. Social Factors: Understanding the Rise in Crime

Crime rates, however, can be influenced by a variety of factors, which is why, in many cases, they cannot be solely attributed to offenders’ “rational choice.” When certain crimes are rampant, it indicates that there is a much more important phenomenon that contributes to their rise. Social factors such as drug addiction or gang violence, especially in the context of the War on Drugs, were the primary drivers of criminality in that period (Hetey & Eberhardt, 2018).

Addressing Root Causes: Limitations of the Three Strikes Law

The law did not directly address these root causes of the rise in crime. The focus was on punitive measures, which not only did not mitigate the problem but also exacerbated it to a considerable degree.

Lessons for Policymakers: Avoiding Mistakes in Criminal Justice Reform

An evidence-based approach must always be resorted to when deciding on a policy. Thorough research on potential harmful effects or any implications that the decision can lead to must be conducted every time the lives of a large number of people can be affected. In this case, it is possible to avoid policy-related mistakes or reduce them to an insignificant number. In the context of the criminal justice system, mandatory minimum sentences also need to be reevaluated as they also often result in disproportionately severe punishments.

Reference

Hetey, R. C., & Eberhardt, J. L. (2018). The numbers don’t speak for themselves: Racial disparities and the persistence of inequality in the criminal justice system. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(3), 183-187. Web.