Supporters of Proposition 66 argue that the original intent of the Three Strikes Law would have been preserved, keeping violent and dangerous criminals in prison. Proposition 66 would have made California's Three Strike Law conform to those working well in twenty six other states. Taxpayers would have saved as much as $700 million a year in prison operating costs and more that $1 billion for new prison construction. Proposition 66 would have helped protect children by creating tougher penalties for child molesters and taking serious offenders off the streets.
Opponents contend Proposition 66 would have released dangerous repeat offenders and would have weakened the definition of violent or serious crimes. As the law currently stands, judges already have the power to reduce sentences for nonviolent crimes if appropriate. Proposition 66 would have cost the state millions of dollars to return thousands of state prison inmates to county jails for re-sentencing. Proposition 66 would have put some child molesters, now in jail, back on the street if their third offense was not for a violent or serious felony.
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