TEXT D The story of Polly Klaas’
murder by a man with a history of violence galvanized California voters into
passing the state’s three-strikes-and-you’re-out law in 1994. Two dozen states
and the federal government have now adopted similar laws. Still, only in
California can conviction on any third felony put someone behind bars for life.
That singularity points to what is wrong with the California law, despite its
emotionally wrenching origins. Eleven years after Polly was
snatched from her upstairs bedroom and murdered, voters are troubled by other
stories--about the Army veteran who stole $153 worth of videotapes or the father
who pinched a box of diapers for his baby, both now in prison for life, and
about the $31,000 that taxpayers pony up every year to house such individuals.
Those tales should push voters to pass Proposition 66, correcting a gross
injustice while reserving the harshest punishment for those who commit the worst
crimes. Proposition 66 would limit third-strike offenses to
serious or violent felonies; that’s the law many voters now say they thought
they passed back in 1994. Excluded would be crimes like petty theft, passing a
bad check or holding a small amount of drugs. These offenses would remain
felonies for repeat offenders, who could still get longer prison terms for each
new crime. Only the life sentence is excluded. Of California’s
7,300 third-strikers, 4,200 are doing 25 years to life for a nonserious or
nonviolent felony. Proposition 66 also requires judges to resentence these
third-strikers, meaning some who have already served several years behind bars
may be freed. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley first
campaigned for office in 2000 arguing that the 1994 law was unduly harsh and
wisely promising not to charge as strikes most nonviolent, nonserious felonies
without a good reason. Because Cooley has made good on that promise, his
opposition to Proposition 66 is particularly disappointing. He--along with Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oakland Mayor and former Gov. Jerry Brown and Atty. Gen.
Bill Loekyer--now insists, wrongly in our view, that the measure would flood the
streets with predators. Those who might be released would have already done time
for their crimes, just not life. Proposition 66 does not
eliminate the three-strikes law. It restores voters’ original intent to keep
violent criminals off the street for good. That said, like almost every
initiative, Proposition 66 is not a model of nuanced legislation. It goes too
far in narrowing the universe of "third strikes". If it passes, lawmakers in
Sacramento should reinstate serious offenses like burglary and arson to that
list. Then again, if Sacramento had fixed the three-strikes law
in the first place, and not been so cowered by the fear of seeming "soft on
crime", this proposition wouldn’t be needed now. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true in relation to Proposition 66
A.It limits third-strike offenses to those worst crimes. B.It puts right an obviously unfair law in California. C.It differs considerably from the three-strikes law. D.It abolishes the three-strikes-and-you’re-out law.