OPTION 2: (MSCJ) ASSIGNMENT: CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING (CIT)

Three Strikes Sentencing Name Institution Course and Code Professor Date Three Strikes Sentencing In the 1990s, three strikes laws went into effect in the United States to increase the sentence time of people who had already been convicted of a crime. In particular, these laws were structured to significantly impose harsher punishments for repeated offenders. Three strikes sentencing mandated a life sentence for violent felonies during their third time of repeating crime. These laws were intended to achieve justice by removing repeat offenders from society, but many cases raised questions about their fairness and effectiveness. Pros and Cons of Three Strikes Sentencing The primary advantage of three strikes laws is that they discourage repeat offenders from committing crimes, hence decreasing recidivism. In reality, due to the harsher punishments imposed to repeat offenders, these individuals are likely not to commit a crime again after their first sentences or imprisonment. The other benefit of three strikes sentencing is that it improves the communities by isolating criminals from society, improving the safety of innocent people. In addition, the law protects victims since it does not emphasize rehabilitation, meaning offenders are likely to spend more time in jail (Baumgartner et al., 2021). On the contrary, three-strike laws have several cons, including harsher punishments for non-violent offenders. In other words, regardless of the crime committed, three strikes sentencing increases the punishment for repeat offenders. Another disadvantage of three strikes laws is that they assume rehabilitation is not vital for repeat offenders, which might increase the suffering of criminals with mental health problems. Additionally, these regulations contribute to an increase in prison costs, making taxpayers to pay more money to maintain repeat offenders, many of whom are harshly sentenced. Some human rights groups argue that the three strikes laws are a cruel penalty. Ethical and Social Justice Problems Related to Three Strikes Sentencing The Three Strikes rules can be morally questionable because they raise issues of fairness and ethics. Ethically, imposing a life sentence for repeat offenders during their third time of committing a crime is harsh and unreasonable, though it depends with the magnitude of the committed crime. The unjust nature of the three strikes laws is that offenders from specific demographics might get more severe punishments than those from other ethnicities. For example, life sentences for non-violent criminals destroy families and communities. Human rights activists considered the three strikes law as torturous and inhumane toward offenders. Social justice critics criticized the rule for discriminating against minorities and hurting the community's support of ex-convicts throughout their long sentences (Jouet, 2021). Besi...