I can put you in touch with families who have lost their loved ones for life for petty thefts such as stealing a bicycle, stealing three cookies, running away when chased by a policeman - crimes which aren't really crimes. Most of the criminals are boys 18-23 years of age. A strong economy for everyone and prevention through education, free after school activities, adult supervision of young people and restorative justice laws would be far less costlier and far more effective in reducing crime. If anyone was really looking to reduce crime and solve the problems, there are plenty of statistics around on better ways to do it than to lock other human beings in cages. . Everyone thinks it isn't going to be their friends and family snatched up by the government to be imprisoned until it's too late.
Public sentiment is callous and people wrongly assume the system is in place and functioning.
The law goes too far. It is cruel and unusual punishment to take people away from their families for such long terms with phony crime stats as the only justification for it. Three Strikes is a bad law put into place by bad politicians needing financing for 36 prisons that make mattresses, grind eyeglasses, bottle milk, make shoes and clothing and pay youth 20 cents an hour. All this brings a big profit to the state. It IS about money.