Crime Trends In California

Research gather by the Journal “Impacts of “three Strikes and You’re Out” on Crime Trends in California and Throughout the United States” shows that the Three Strikes law may not have such a large impact on the reduction of crime. In fact, the effects of this policy may not even come from the incarceration of third strikers, but from its deterrent effect. Statistics gathered in the years shortly after the law was implemented showed that California had a “20.2% total crime drop and the 13.8% decline in violent crime from 1994 to 1997 (Lungren, 1997), and a 46% decline in the index crime rate from 1992 to 2002.”(SagePub) Overall in the Three Strikes states, crime dropped almost 3% more rapidly than in the years prior to the implementation of