catelin

Most states have had habitual offender laws on the books for years, although not nearly as sensationalized as California. Here in Texas, if you commit certain felonies and have two prior felony convictions (not meaning probations, etc.--meaning that you have actually GONE to prison twice) then your punishment range is from 25-99 years. I think the problem with California's law (if I remember correctly) was that it calls for mandatory life, no? I also think that's unfair. There are some situations that just don't merit that. As for what causes the overcrowding, I don't know. What I can tell you though is that I usually see a drug defendant 8-12 times, 5-6 rehabs later before prison even becomes an option I'd consider. (I'm talking felony offenses, not little misdemeanor shit.) Very few make it to that point...they usually die (o.d. or drug-related violence) before they get there. Before 1994 the drug laws in Texas were, to say the least, draconian. It is different now, and there are plenty of other options available other than prison. That's not saying that if a person gets to a certain point in the system that they won't eventually go to prison--they will. But it happens far less frequently than before.