Unjust Sentencing and the California Three Strikes Law

Download or read book Unjust Sentencing and the California Three Strikes Law written by Douglas W. Kieso and published by LFB Scholarly Publishing. This book was released on 2005 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The California Three Strikes law was passed in 1994 as a wave of "strike" laws swept the United States. California's law was unique, however, because people convicted of possession of a small amount of narcotics or who committed petty crimes like shoplifting were receiving life sentences. Kieso studies prosecutorial discretion, judicial discretion, jury discretion with a focus on the inconsistencies in California's usage of its Three Strikes law. Contrary to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2003 decision, Ewing v. California, which upheld the law and to public perception, Kieso demonstrates that many unjust cases result from flaws in California's political system.