Ryan Bridge: Wouldn't we all be better off if the violent repeat offender was in jail?

A Three Strikes update for you this morning: the Government's basically lowering the threshold you have to meet in order to be hit with the new Three Strikes law. 

Originally for the law to kick in, for you to get a strike, you had to commit a crime with a prison sentence of 24 months or more, and it was the same for each of the Three Strikes. 

Now, it's being lowered to just 12 months for the first offence. 

So basically, more criminals will be captured by the first strike.  

And, if they go on to commit more serious crimes, it could mean they're locked up for good or an increase in the minimum sentence. 

It's taking away the power from the judges and the discretion that they have. 

They say the law doesn't work, this Three Strikes law, because we have had it before. 

It's not proven to reduce offending or reoffending. It's not right. It doesn't rehabilitate criminals. 

And yet somehow, I don't mind it. 

If you can't sort yourself out after warnings one and two, then why would you miraculously stop offending after the third warning? 

You probably wouldn't. 

So, wouldn't we all be better off if that serious violent repeat offender was, rather than living next door to you, in jail? 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Three strikes update for you. This morning, Nicole McKee's put
out a statement. The government's basically lowering the threshold you
have to meet in order to be hit with the
new three strikes law. Originally, for the law to kick in,
for you to get a strike, you had to commit
a crime with a prison sentence of twenty four months
or more, and it was the same for each of

(00:20):
the three strikes strike one, two, and three. Now it's
being lowered to just twelve months for the first offense.
So basically more criminals will be captured by the first strike,
and if they go on to commit more serious crimes,
it could mean they're locked up for good or there's
an increase in their minimum sentence. It's taking away the
power from the judges and the discretion that they have.

(00:42):
They say the law doesn't work, this three strikes law,
because we have had it before. It's not proven to
reduce offending or reoffending. It's not right, it doesn't rehabilitate criminals.
And yet somehow I don't mind it. If you can't
sort yourself out after warnings one and two, then why
would you miraculously stop offending after the third warning? You

(01:03):
probably wouldn't so wouldn't we all be better off if
that serious, violent, repeat offender was rather than living next
door to you in jail. For more from Early Edition
with Ryan Bridge, listen live to news Talks it'd be
from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio