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Example research essay topic: Los Angeles California Three Strikes Law - 2,100 words

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... it will deny these people from receiving rehabilitation and instead they will be put in state prison. Crime rate will also increase if proposition 21 is passed. This Proposition was also proposed so that crime rate would reduce, but in reality it will only increase. Many teenagers will go to prison for silly things like for example shoplifting. Shoplifting is a crime but it is not serious enough for one to be put in jail for.

This will increase the statistics because there will be more teenagers put in jail because of this law. If proposition 21 passes it is also going to increase the population of criminals sentenced to life in prison because the three strikes law is going to be in more effect. Little crimes like shoplifting or vandalism can send a person to prison for life if proposition 21 passes. 21 Based on Extreme Crimes Over the past few decades, violence has been a serious problem in the United States, and has swamped heavily populated states like California. Between 1983 and 1998 crimes, such as robberies, rapes, and assaults have risen an outstanding 60. 6 % and will continue to rise unless some sort of action is taken to stop this type of behavior. (Rush) Most people would agree that such crimes should not go unpunished and that incarceration is one of the only answers for people who commit these crimes.

So then why are so many people against proposition twenty-one? Simple, people feel that juveniles do not have the ability to think like adults and therefore, should not be tried as adults. Along with this opinion, many believe that juveniles should be educated and rehabilitated rather than simply be placed behind bars. To an extent, these opinions may have some truth in them, but what about cases like Maggie Elves, a woman who lost her husband because a fifteen year old beat him to death with a steel pipe.

Some may say that this is a very uncommon situation and is therefore not relevant to the matter. Sadly however, there are many other cases that fit the same extremity as this one, which have been committed by people under the age of eighteen. In Maggie's case, the juvenile who killed her husband will be free on his twenty-fifth birthday, and will not have a criminal record. One must ask: is justice really being served here? Proposition twenty-one will ensure that juveniles are given their deserved punishment rather than a slap on the wrist, by strengthening anti-gang laws and enforcing laws dealing with severe offenses. Though this proposition will strengthen and enforce certain laws, it will not incarcerate children for minor offenses.

In addition, many fear that proposition twenty-one will place juveniles into adult prisons where they will then be raped and beaten by adult inmates. This is not true. California state law already prohibits placing juveniles in contact with adult inmates, and for those concerned with rehabilitation centers for their youth, this law also offers juveniles educational programs. Lets face it, juvenile crime has gone on too long, and though it is sad that parents are not teaching their children morality and respect now days, if something is not done about it, it will only get worse. On a personal note, I can think of many examples of juveniles around my neighborhood who have committed crimes and have beat the system because of their age. Only a few weeks ago a youth in my area was caught robbing a liquor store at gunpoint, and now he / she is roaming the streets freely, while the owner of the liquor store is most likely living in fear that the same incident will happen again.

Another violent case broke out when a juvenile beat another child over the head with a two-by-four, and yet, only minor actions were taken to ensure this offenders punishment. I agree that educational programs and rehabilitation centers are still important, but without some sort of fear of punishment, these programs themselves will do nothing for repeating juvenile offenders. Three Strikes Law Proponents of proposition 21 have proposed to implement the three strikes law on juvenile offenders. This is because recent studies have shown that crime has been increasing.

In 1987, juvenile arrest for a violent crime has increased by 60 %. From 1987 to 2001 there was a 50 % increase for violent index crimes such as, rape, robbery and non-negligent manslaughter (Redding 93). No confidentiality works a good reason why Proposition 21 will benefit the better of the communities in California is because juvenile records will no longer be sealed or confidential. All records of crimes and felonies that these juveniles have committed will be open to the public. This means that anyone who needs to get a record check on a juvenile will be able to see his or her criminal records. It is stated that proposition 21 allows the public, including schools and employers, to review juvenile court records by removing confidentiality rules that permit youth offenders to go back to school or find jobs with out being labeled a criminal for life.

Employers and other people who need to view these records should be able to see what kind of person they are hiring or allowing into their school, and with this proposition, they shall be able to. At this previous moment, only the records of juveniles with serious felonies are not sealed or confidential. For the rest of the juveniles who have committed minor crimes, there is no record of the crime committed after a completion of an informal probation, and the society needs to be protected from all juveniles who have committed any kind of crimes. Good students should be protected from these criminals by not having to go to school with them.

Employers should be able to hire clean-cut employees with no criminal history. We need to keep the juveniles with criminal histories out of our systems in order to be able to better our society. This may seem like a very harsh punishment on juvenile delinquents because employers and other authorities will be able to view them as criminals, but there shouldnt be any more shielding for juveniles. If a person commits a crime, he / she should face the consequences.

This is only a minor punishment that these juvenile delinquents have to face considering the damages that theyve done to society. (Kale) Another good reason why Proposition 21 should be passes is because once a juvenile has committed a crime, he / she will no longer be allow to vote. Voting, in this country, is a privilege, and once a person has committed a crime in this state, they should have all privileges taken away from them. The problem in this state is that there are too many lenience for juveniles because they are not yet considered as adults, but it is time to start treating them as adults when they are committing adult crimes. Voting is a fundamental pillar of the society and if these juvenile choose to violate any sector of the society, their rights in societal participation should be eliminated.

Before committing a crime, these juveniles know and understand that violating the law would mean giving up all privileges. Getting their voting privileges taken away is just a minor consequence that these juveniles have to face considering everything theyve done to have their privileges taken away. Proposition 21 actually is a costly initiative. This could be an initiative that could probably do some good in our state but it can really do us more harm than good. Financially, this proposition causes the uneven distribution of the states general funds for many public benefits. This money that is set aside by the state for public benefits are for social usage like prevention programs.

Also a very important thing is the allocation of these funds for educational purposes that feed money into our educational system, which includes smaller classroom sizes and restructured facilities for the kids in the K- 12 system, new universities and the expansion of the existing campuses in the states system. And of course, this big pot of money also supports our states criminal system, which is already comprehensive and is starting to become over crowded. We want to educate our youth, not incarcerate them. If we implement more prevention programs, we can be able to keep the youth out of our criminal system. We need to teach them the right ways and not the wrong ways.

Prevention programs are estimated to be at least twice as effective and much cheaper than laws to increase incarceration. One study shows that an estimated 60 crimes were prevented annually per $ 1 million spent on 3 strikes laws, an estimated 258 were prevented per $ 1 million spent on graduation incentives and an estimated 157 crimes were prevented with the same amount invested in parent training. It is true that California spends about $ 4 billion a year on prisons. Since 1984, the state added 21 prisons and only one university campus. A prison guard now makes about $ 51, 000 a year, compared to $ 41, 000 of a first year professor in the California university system. (Redding) If passed, Proposition 21 will result in one-time costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars and yearly costs of tens of millions of dollars for local governments. This means that our taxes will rise and it will cause the local governments to take funds away from other projects in their locality.

Proposition 21, if passed will take a lot of money away from California's fund for social benefits like youth violence and intervention programs and most importantly, the money for education which can build new higher learning institutions. To conclude the research it is necessary to state that obviously changes need to be made in the court system in order to get this juvenile crime issue straight up. Personally I think that the most effective solution to the problem would be to care more about children. Children are the future.

From the early age such activities as sports, arts and other should be encouraged more than it is done now. Parents need to make children aware of what is right or wrong. For those not having parents government should have even better assistance. As evidence shows, a child learns from example, whether it is a good or bad example.

Family values are extremely important in the raising of todays children. Children should be taught that giving into pier pressure shows more weakness of will and spirit than leading the crowd and having the strength of character it takes to stand up to it. Whether trying juveniles as adults or trying them as juveniles, we have not stopped these crimes from happening. Whether it is the reformation of the juvenile system or placing young offenders into the adult court and institutions, enough is enough. The children of today are our future. Fight to take the violence in todays society out of the view of children.

Watching the news, reading newspapers, and listening to the radio are affecting our childrens minds. Teaching our children right from wrong is a start to help prevent juvenile crime. Every parent needs to take part in the prevention of this serious dilemma. The children of today are growing up fast. However, placing our children into the adult system we are telling them that they are adults. We as a society need to petition our government to reform our juvenile system and build facilities that are for serious juvenile offenders.

Bibliography: American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. Vote No On Prop 21. Los Angeles, California: 2000. Assessment, January 6, 1995 Association of Community Based Gang Intervention Workers. Association Factsheet. Los Angeles, California: 2000.

Better, Vince and Karla Solheim. Juvenile Injustice. LA Weekly. 11 Feb. 2000. Jones, Bill; Voter Information Guide: California Vote, 2000. League of Women Voters of California. State Ballot Measures LWV Pros/Cons.

Sacramento, California: 2000. Legislative Analysts Office; The Three Strikes and Your Out Law: A Preliminary Assessment, January 6, 1995. Youth Organizing Communities. 10 Feb. 2000. Guest Speaker. Prop 21 Forum. Inland Agency: People Reaching Out, Stratton Community Center. 7 Feb. 2000.

Redding E, Richard; Examining Legal issues: Corrections Today, April 2001. Lacayo, Jack. Juvenile Justice, Legal Issues, May 2002. Bernard, Michael. The Cycle of Justice, New York: Viking Press 2001.

Hay slip, Donald. Experiencing Boot Camps, London: McGraw-Hill, 1998. Rush, Jeremy. Examining Juvenile Crimes, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.

Kale, Joe. Court of Law: Juveniles, New York: John Wiley & Sons 2000.


Free research essays on topics related to: three strikes law, millions of dollars, los angeles california, put in jail, committed a crime

Research essay sample on Los Angeles California Three Strikes Law

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