Analyzing the Effectiveness of Three Strikes Laws

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INTRODUCTION Three strikes laws have been predominantly used in the state of California since 1994. Three strikes laws are set forth for a “tough on crime” approach to attempt to reduce crime rates by methods of deterrence and incapacitation. Several states have followed suit on implementing this type of policy. However, research on three strikes laws have not had a consensus on the actual effects on crime rates within a city, county, or state level. For this reason, the importance of knowing the actual results of implementing this policy are of utmost importance for the proper management of funding in our criminal justice system. Due to the limited resources that states have are very real, we should focus on funding programs that result …show more content…

The author examined the relationship of Three Strikes laws, Truth in Sentencing (TIS), unemployment rate, and median household income to crime rates at a state level. She then used a time-series cross-sectional analysis to allow an increase in sample size and degrees of freedom, therefore improving the efficiency of the data. Data was compiled for all 50 states from 1986 to 2005 with the unit of analysis being …show more content…

Three Strikes, an independent variable, is measured by its underlying trend in three strikes states and trend in three strikes states after three strikes. Truth in Sentencing is measured by comparing underlying trends in TIS states and trend in TIS states after TIS. Three strikes laws were found to be slightly associated with declines in robbery, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft nationally. Incapacitation rates were found to have similar effects in California, a state using Three Strikes more aggressively, than in other states. TIS and Three Strikes laws were found to have a limited effect on crime throughout all 50 states. Three Strikes laws were also found to have a greater effect on crime more so than TIS.

Kovandzic, T. V., Sloan III, J. J., & Vieraitis, L. M. (2004). "Striking out" as crime reduction policy: The impact of "three strikes" laws on crime rates in U.S. cities. JQ: Justice Quarterly, 21(2), 207-239. doi:10.1080/07418820400095791
Kovandzic, Sloan, and Vieraitis’ study examined the use of three strikes laws on rate of crime in U.S. cities. Their study compared three strikes laws in different cities, instead of state-level, to better emphasize analysis at a lower level. A state-level analysis could potential show a greater crime average that would not be representative of the state. The authors

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