Repeat_Offenders

Repeat Offenders How long should repeat offenders stay in jail or prison' Should we look for life sentences for repeat offenders as a reflection of politicized crime policy. Crime is perceived as one of the biggest problems in the United States. Americans fear for their safety, a fear that is exacerbated by intense, often sensational media coverage of violent crimes. Ironically, many people are afraid of being victimized, even as statistics show that violent crime is declining. Some people seem to think that the 90’s laws are too tough. 12-year-old Polly Klaas was abducted from her California home and murdered by a twice-convicted kidnapper who was released on parole after serving half a 16-year prison sentence. Outraged voters approved a ballot measure that said criminals with two serious or violent felonies on their records must serve a 25-year to life term for their next crime. In November 1995, Leandro Andrade, an Army veteran and heroin addict, was arrested leaving a Southern California Kmart with five videotapes valued at $84.70 tucked into his clothes. Two weeks later, Andrade committed a nearly identical theft (Spelman,1988). He took four videotapes of children's stories valued at $68.84 from another Kmart. These are crimes that have been offenders, laws, prison, repeat, drug, risk, crimes, because, stricter, life, committed, crime, treatment, three, strike, states, sex, serious, sentences, same, one, offender, law, know, high, going, while, violent, two, term, spelman1988, should, sentence, people, parole