SST always advocated for a form of Three Strikes that targeted only serious violent or sexual offenders, not minor crime. Three Strikes in New Zealand can be colloquially referred to as ‘Three strikes and the max’ whereas most USA versions can typically be referred to as ‘Three strikes and you’re out’. There are varying approaches in the USA. Some states have a Three Strikes sentencing law, others do not, although most have increasingly tough sentencing rules for ‘habitual offenders’. The most common approach in US states is to apply a sentence of ‘25 years to life’ for a third strike offence, which typically has to be a ‘felony’ offence (a serious crime). This means the offender would typically serve a minimum of 25 years before being eligible for parole. Until 2012, the Californian version of Three Strikes was the toughest in the USA. Too tough in SST’s view. Until being amended in 2012, the Californian version allowed a ’25 years to life’ sentence to be imposed for a minor offence such as shoplifting, car theft or common assault. The Californian version now requires the third strike offence to be a serious felony offence to qualify for the 25 years to life provision. It is the ‘max’ provision at the third strike stage of the New Zealand version of Three Strikes which provides the degree of proportionality between the offence committed and the sentence handed down at the third strike stage. The maximum sentence for the offence committed is handed down, rather than a blanket 25 years to life. It’s still very tough, as it is meant to be, but not excessive.