Three Strikes vs. Unintended Consequences

Jason Cherniak has posted on Conservative attempts at putting in some kind of three strikes anti-crime legislation. Of course this is a great way to play up their "law-and-order" image.

After three serious offenses, you'd think that someone ought to be put away for good, right? Well the problem is that even the dumbest criminals can count to three, as a result, police wanting to arrest someone who already has two strikes tend to have a real devil of a time with it in the US. If the guy fears he's going away for good there's a much better chance he'll engage in a shoot-out, high-speed chase or something else that risks civilian and police lives.

Of course most "tough-on-crime" politicians just go for emotionally satisfying ploys based on the rules of a sport. The problem is that there are enough people (mostly Toronto Sun columnists) who get swept up by this incredibly stupid rhetoric. It will get most police officers injured, many of the US jurisdictions that have such laws are starting to turn away from them.