at among offenders who engaged in conduct warranting mandatory minimums, white offenders were less likely than blacks or Hispanics to receive the mandatory minimum term. I believe there are better alternatives to this policy that can more effectively express our values and accomplish our goals without increasing our prison populations and disparaging minorities. Another sentencing policy that is having a major impact on punishment and its fairness are the so called “3 Strikes Laws” that many states have enacted. These laws impose a mandatory life sentence without parole on offenders convicted of certain crimes. Supporters of these laws claim that they will have a deterrent effect on violent crime. Actually, if you think about violent crimes and the way they are committed, most are not premeditated! Therefore removing the argument that criminals would think twice about committing the crime for fear of ending up in prison for the rest of their life. The point is, they don’t take the time to think about the crime they’re committing in the first place, let alone what the consequences will be. These laws could actually lead to an increase in violence. Criminals could be more likely to resist arrest if they realize that they would be going down for the last time. Imagine if you’re a police officer arresting a twice-convicted felon for his third felony offense. He would have nothing to lose by using any means necessary to escape. Here is the best hypothetical situation I can come up with to illustrate how unfair these laws can be. “An 18-year old high school senior living in Washington State pushes a classmate down to steal his $150 Michael Jordan sneakers –Strike One. He gets out of jail and shoplifts a jacket from the Wal-Mart, pushing aside the clerk as he runs out of the store – Strike Two; then he gets out of jail, goes straight, and moves to Hawaii. While there, ...
