Todd's Views: 3 Strikes Legislation

The following letter was written in response to a letter to the editor of the San Jose Mercury News. The writer felt that the "Three Strikes" legislation which had recently been passed constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

Mr. Editor,

In response to James Fadiman's letter in your December 8th issue: I'm reminded every time I speak to someone on the "three strikes" law that most people feel three convictions is too few, that being convicted of three felonies is just not enough chances to make a change in one's life. I would like to remind Mr. Fadiman that the operative word is "convicted", not "committed". I urge people who refuse to accept the "three strikes" law as a just law to keep in mind that the felons who stand to be affected by this law quite likely committed numerous crimes they were never caught for, or were caught for but never convicted. How often do we hear of criminals getting off on a technicality or successfully plea-bargaining for a lesser charge? I see myself as an example of an average citizen. I've never even committed a felony, let alone had to worry about being convicted of one. I am not privileged, nor has my life been an easy one. I work long hours at average pay to get what I have. I respect others and I respect the law. I've managed to lead a reasonably happy life without taking what isn't mine, without hurting or killing anyone, living pretty much within the bounds of the laws this society has set up. I have no pity for the person that has demonstrated that they cannot function in society, and lack the capacity to learn, by committing enough crimes that they managed on three separate occasions to be caught and arrested by police who didn't miss any details and gathered enough evidence, to be unsuccessful in reducing the charges below the felony level, and to be unable to convince a judge and jury that there was enough reasonable doubt to not convict them. That person has shown they are incapable of doing anything except hurting society, and that person should expect no less than to be put somewhere where people like myself are safe from them. For life.

Todd Grigsby

That was all I wrote in that letter, but I have much stronger feelings on this topic than I let on in that letter. Life in prison without parole ends that person's influence on the world. It's true that a prisoner can still write books that express opinions and views, can still create art that illustrates emotions and ideas, can write letters to Congressmen on political issues, can even, in some cases, run businesses, trade stocks, etc. But I'll tell you what that person won't be doing. They won't be holding up a 7-11 and shooting the poor sap working the graveyard shift behind the cash register. They won't be stealing a car from someone who worked long and hard to make the payments. They won't be selling drugs to your kids. They won't jump you on a dark street, beat you with a two-by-four and steal the leather jacket your spouse gave you as a Christmas present when you first started dating. They won't hurt anyone anymore. Yeah there are exceptions, clever cons who manage to set up some racket from behind bars, but these are rare and eventually caught.

I personally feel that a life sentence is society's way to not only protect itself from these people, but in some cases, to even eliminate them from the gene pool. Someone in prison isn't making babies. Putting these people in small cages to rot, in my opinion possibly improves the gene pool. These are people that weren't intelligent enough to make it in the world, to adapt and fit into society.

Oh, I'm sure there are folks out there that got REAL mad at that statement. They'll point to the fact that blacks and hispanics make up the overwhelming portion of the prison population. Well, let me make it clear right now, I do NOT intend that as a racist statement. I believe ANYONE that is convicted of 3 felonies should be thrown away like the garbage they are.

If the convict doesn't want to end up with a life sentence, then he or she had better get wise and do WHATEVER IT TAKES to live a law-abiding life. Go back to school and take night courses. Work at a burger joint. Move to a new area where you don't know anyone if that's what it takes to shake peer pressure. I have been down, really down, with no money and no where to stay, and I pulled my butt up and did ok, and I have NO sympathy for people who can't make it. Unless you're mentally unstable, in which case you belong in an institution, or seriously physically challenged, in which case there are programs to aid you, you should stand on your own two feet and pull your own damn weight!