Regional Subtleties

Originally posted by Nic Name
In Beverly Hills, shoplifting is a felony, because everything is overpriced. Ryder has two strikes ... so, in a state that bases it's Criminal Law on the rules of baseball ... one more dress out the door without paying and she's doing life for shoplifting.

Nice try, but it doesn't work like that.

First of all, it is not a rule that, upon the third felony conviction, a convict go to jail for life. It is an option that the prosecution can push for. They do not have to, and they most likely would not, since she has no violent felony convictions (rape, murder, aggravated assault, burglary, etc).

Secondly, even if she did, a judge could very easily reduce the sentence to something more appropriate.

Third, it is very rare that a person is sent up on the "three strikes" law on shit like shoplifting. When it does happen, it is ALWAYS because they have been convicted of violent felonies in the past.

Personally, I am against the three strikes law because I find it to be grossly flawed. But let's not make it out to be something it's not.