Sentence Enhancement
Sentence enhancement occurs in cases where the law allows judges to increase the sentence that, usually, applies to a given crime. Various situations result in increased sentencing for offenders. First, sentence enhancement is allowed in cases where an offender has one or extra prior sentence during the time when they are being accorded a current conviction. Another situation where enhanced sentencing occurs is in cases of habitual offenders. Precisely, this occurs in cases where an offender has committed more than two felony crimes. The third situation where sentence enhancement occurs is in cases whereby an offender used a deadly weapon to commit a crime (Henham 24). In addition, mere weapon possession of a weapon at the time of crime results in enhanced sentencing. Overall, sentence enhancement results in harsh sentencing whereby an offender may be sentenced for several years in prison.
Three Strike Laws
Three strike laws mainly connote to mandate given to state courts, which allows them to give stiffer penalties to offenders liable of more than two felony offences. The three strike laws were primarily established with the sole intent of curbing crimes by reducing habitual offences. In a nutshell, the three strike laws advocate enhanced sentencing of offenders who have previously been convicted of violent crimes. Notably, the three strike laws reduces the ability of offenders to be accorded other form of sentencing except for a prison sentence. Based on a personal thought, we should have the three strike laws because of various reasons. More importantly, we should have these laws because they play a comprehensive role in reducing the rate of felony arrest rates. A recent empirical research indicated that implementation of the three strike laws has resulted in a reduction of felony arrest rates in the state of California by seventeen to twenty percent (Walsh 118).
Work Cited
Henham, Ralph. Sentencing: Time for a Paradigm Shift. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Walsh, Jennifer E. Three Strikes Laws. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2007. Print.
