Kline: Time to revisit “three strikes” law

OLYMPIA – Noting that more than 10 years have elapsed since Washington’s “three strikes” law was put into effect, Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, believes that it’s time to take another look at the law’s effectiveness.

“Given the high cost of incarceration, we need to ask if the ‘three strikes’ law is doing what we intended,” Kline said. “The goal in 1993 was to lock up the persistent offenders of the most serious crimes. I’m not convinced that we’ve succeeded in doing that.”

Senate Bill 5964, introduced by Kline, would retroactively change the way second degree robbery and second degree assault convictions are considered under the state’s “three strikes” law. The bill would exclude offenders who have committed only the crimes of robbery 2 or assault 2 from the definition of persistent offender.

“Sticking with the baseball analogy, this would grant a ‘foul ball’ to someone whose only convictions are robbery 2 or assault 2,” Kline explained. “They’ll still receive lengthy jail sentences, but it wouldn’t be the automatic ‘three strikes’ penalty of life without parole.”

Those convicted of robbery 2 or assault 2 typically receive a 15 or 20-year sentence, depending on what else is on their record.

There are currently 281 offenders in prison under the “three strikes” sentence of life in prison. Twenty-seven of these prisoners have no current or past conviction of an offense other than robbery 2, assault 2, or an attempt of either.

SB 5964 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23 in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the John A. Cherberg Building in Olympia.

Return to Sen. Kline's home page