California Crime Essay - 2233 Words

Abstract My essay on the Three Strikes Rule will explore this law from its inception to the present time, its impact on the California state government, and propose a solution to this problematic law. The Three Strikes Rule states that any offenders that committed any violent or serious felony offense (after two or more of the same conviction) are sentenced 25 years to life. I will present how crime has either increased or decreased since the 1990’s. What the perceptions of crime have been in our society. What polices has California put into place from the 1990’s to address crime. The costs and consequences of these policies and whether or not the Three Strike Rule has been worth it. What has California done in†¦show more content†¦A 2001 study by Dorfman and Schiraldi found that crimes against African Americans were underrepresented in reporting and overrepresented as perpetrators, white victims tended to receive more lengthy coverage as well. In Los Angeles television news African Americans were 22% more likely to be shown on TV committing violent crimes than non-violent ones despite the fact that arrest reports indicate that African Americans in Los Angeles commit both types of crime almost equally (Dorfman Schiraldi, 2001). The study also shows how youths are also disproportionately covered: 7 out of 10 local TV news stories dealing with violent crime in California had youths as the perpetrators despite the fact that youths commit only 14.4% of violent crime in that state. Furthermore, half of the stories dealing with minors for any reason involved violence even though only 2% (though due to unreported crimes the actual number may be higher) of Cali fornia youths have been victims or perpetrators of violent crime (Drofman Schiraldi, 2001). This increased focus on youth crimes has led to increased support for treating juvenile offenders as adults and, especially in instances of more serious crimes, applying the same retributive punishments previously not applied to young offenders (Glassner, 1999, p. 73). These findings show how not only are the medias sensationalized reporting of crime contributing to aShow MoreRelatedThe Death Penalty Act Of 1851 Essay1724 Words   |  7 Pagesin the state of California at San Quentin. The first execution by lethal gas was conducted in 1938 and the continued use of lethal gas lasted through 1967. A total of 194 people were executed by lethal gas, all at San Quentin and included the execution of four women. Twenty-five years after 1967, the number of executions in California halted due to various state and United States Supreme Court decisions, effectively allowed the death penalty to be revi ewed. In 2014 the California Supreme Court foundRead MoreReport: Ethics and Three Strikes Law736 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction to Issue - Over the past few decades there has been an increased amount of public and media attention directed to repeat criminal offenders. In the 1980s, crime rates increased and scholars found that a number of these criminal activities were committed by repeat offenders. In response to this information, many states began to enact the so-called Three Strikes, Youre Out Law. The proponents of this legislation, including several victims rights organizations, believe that habitual criminalsRead MoreMarriage Equality : The California Supreme Court897 Words   |  4 PagesIn our nation, the battle still continues over marriage equality. In 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to get married. 18,000 same-sex couples were married throughout the state. Six months later, voters passed Proposition 8, a ballot initiative, which defined marriage as between one man and one man in California. In the article published by Marriage Equality USA, Prop 8 Hurt My Family – Ask me how, discusses Proposition 8 before it was overturned. MarriageRead MoreCannabis in California In this essay I will explore the positive and negative effects of700 Words   |  3 PagesCannabis in California In this essay I will explore the positive and negative effects of legalizing Cannabis in California. I support the legalization of Cannabis, these are my reasons why; If California does legalize Cannabis then it would decrease the money spent on drug enforcement and criminal persecution. Legalizing Cannabis would also reduce the value of the black market product. It would also generate revenue for the California economy because it would be a taxable item that is in high demandRead MoreEssay on Factors Affecting the Complexity of Criminal Behavior1489 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will consider the notion that any person could become a criminal. In considering this, the question ‘what makes a criminal a criminal’ will be discussed. Defining criminal behaviour is itself, difficult as it could be considered a wide range of behaviours from tasting fruit at the market to speeding to swearing at someone in frustration. Further to this discussion is a consideration of the r oles that society and individuals have in defining and contributing to people engaging in criminalRead MoreWhat is Crime? Essays1393 Words   |  6 PagesThere are many perceptions of what defines crime. The definitions appear to change throughout history and are still changing today (Henry, S. and Lanier, M. M., 2001 ,p.139). For example, in the past marital rape was not considered a crime as it was thought that women were believed to be â€Å"sexual property† of the male and, therefore it couldn’t be classed as rape (Brownmiller, 1975, cited by Bergen, R.K., 1996, p.3). However, in the United States in 1978 a man was convicted of rape on his wifeRead MoreBook Review for: No Matter How Loud I Shout, by Edward Humes Essay879 Words   |  4 PagesPaperbacks. Edward Humes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, non-fiction, and true crime writer. Of his twelve books, five involve the criminal justice system. In this work, Humes takes on the sizeable task of examining the complicated juvenile justice system, chronicling the stories of several juvenile offenders and juvenile justice officials, and how they navigate the confusing and often arbitrary laws of the California juvenile justice system. Humes delivers an informative, eye-opening, and oftenRead MoreDeath Of The Death Penalty1517 Words   |  7 Pagesforbid anyone to be executed for any crime unless in times of war(DPIC Saff). Unfortunately, a ruler named Henry VIII, disagreed with William’s trend in the sixteenth century. It is said that about 72,000 people were executed under Henry’s ruling(DPIC Staff). Capital Crimes continued rising throughout the next two centuries in Britain. The reasons for execution ranged from marrying a jew to treason. By the 1700s, Britai n had begun to use the death penalty for 222 crimes including, stealing, cutting downRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1011 Words   |  5 Pagesevery drug!†, sounds like everyone has lost there mind right? This very statement would categorize you as a crazy individual. California only recently legalized Marijuana and that has not yet taken into effect and now we’re talking about legalizing every drug? Although all of this sound like crazy talk, legalizing every drug would actually have positive outcomes. In the essay â€Å"Drugs† by Gore Vidal, the author explained that by legalizing every drug it would help the U.S stop most drug addictions. InRead MoreU.S. Prison Costs Essay example1610 Words   |  7 PagesU.S. Prison Costs After reading the essay, â€Å"A Homemade Education,† an autobiography of Malcolm X, I became quite curious about how many dollars America spends toward the prison system and how it affects our society. The autobiography itself covers how Malcolm X gained a homemade education simply by reading books while serving time in prison. He claimed, â€Å"I don’t think anybody ever got more out of going to prison than I did†¦prison enabled me to study far more intensively†¦sometimes as much