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The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004
Citizens Against Violent Crime

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The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004
Citizens Against Violent Crime


Citizens Against Violent Crime (CAVC) was formed in 1999 by Christy Johnson, Frank Mitchell, Sam Clauder, Jim Benson and Joe Klaas, grandfather to Polly Klaas.

The formation of CAVC was in direct response to the ineffective and overly liberal approach being taken by other groups seeking to amend the 3-Strikes law. The founding board of directors of CAVC believed that while FACTS and other "amend 3-Strikes" organizations had existed for years, their approach was either too liberal or simply one of protest, and their opportunities for success limited.

Once formed, CAVC set out to build a broad based organization of people and groups from a cross-section of California - conservative Republicans, Liberal Democrats, elected officials, community leaders, members of the clergy, victims rights and children's rights groups and prisoner families.

A Brief History of Citizens Against Violent Crime

Upon formation, CAVC immediately began to develop a plan and a program to place a measure on either the 2002 or 2004 statewide ballot.

After failing to find the necessary funds for a 2002 effort, CAVC focused its efforts and raised the necessary funds to place an amendment on California's November 2004 statewide ballot.

Entitled, "The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004," the measure will remove non-violent and petty crimes from the list of "strikeable" offenses and increase sentences to 1-Strike for child molesters.The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004 was developed after several years of research and review of the original law, every piece of legislation and law related to strike-enhanced sentences, every bill that had been proposed in California's State Assembly and Senate, and then every code referred to in each piece of legislation.

In 2002 CAVC commissioned a poll from the respected polling firm of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates to test voter awareness and attitudes towards amending the current 3-Strikes law. The poll also tested certain changes and enhancements for voter approval. The poll results showed that voters would support an amendment to Three-Strikes by nearly a 2 to one 1 if it amended the law so only violent and serious crimes would count as strikes.

Working with CAVC throughout this process was a panel of experts - defense attorneys, public defenders, deputy district attorneys, criminal and civil attorneys and elected officials. Suggestions and comments were received and considered from other 3-Strike related organizations including, People to Amend California's Three Strike Law (PATS), Californian's To Amend The Three-Strike Law (CATS) Parents For Treatment and Healing (A NEW PATH) and representatives from the Riverside, Placerville, Orange County, Sacramento and San Jose chapters of Families to Amend California's Three Strikes (FACTS).

This panel, armed with CAVC's research, their own knowledge and practical experience and the polling results, set-out to craft The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004.

CAVC's path has not been easy. But our dogged determination and our deep-seated belief in the cause of amending 3-Strikes has propelled us to the point where we are - placing "The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004" on the November 2004 ballot.

Your interest in CAVC is appreciated - and your participation is welcomed.

The Three Strikes Act of 2004 will:

Return the Three-Strikes law to what the voters originally intended - a law to keep violent criminals in prison, by amending the law to require mandatory increased sentences only when convictions are for a violent felony such as rape, robbery or murder.

Preserve the original intent of the three-strikes law so that violent, dangerous criminals will continue to be punished harshly, with mandatory sentences of double-time for a second violent felony and 25 years-to-life for a third violent felony.

Conform California's Three-Strikes law with those that are working well in 26 other states. Right now, California's law is the only one that applies to non-violent crimes.

Allow prisoners now serving Three-Strikes sentences to apply for and receive a re-sentencing hearing and as many as 35,000 could qualify for one because their offense would no longer count as a strike.

Save the state as much as 700 million dollars a year in prison operating costs, and more than a billion dollars for construction of new prisons.

Attorney General's Summary and Title of The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004

The Attorney General of California has prepared the following title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure:

LIMITATIONS ON "THREE STRIKES LAW". SEX CRIMES. PUNISHMENT. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

Amends "Three Strikes" law to require increased sentences only when current conviction is for specified violent and/or serious felony. Redefines violent and serious felonies. Only prior convictions for specified violent and/or serious felonies, brought and tried separately, would qualify for second and third "strike" sentence increases. Allows conditional re-sentencing of persons with sentences increased under "Three Strikes" law if previous sentencing offenses, or prior convictions used to increase sentences, would no longer qualify as violent and/or serious felonies.

Increases punishment for specified sex crimes against children. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown, but significant net savings to the state ranging from several tens of millions of dollars to several hundreds of millions of dollars annually due to lower prison operating costs partially offset by costs associated with court-related activities, parole supervision, and the incarceration of and counseling services for sex offenders.

Potential state deferral of several hundreds of millions of dollars in capital outlay costs associated with delayed construction of additional prison beds. Increased one-time costs of up to several tens of millions of dollars for jail and court-related costs; ongoing costs of a couple of tens of millions of dollars.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF HOST A HOUSE PARTY

by Joe Klaas

The campaign to win passage of "The Three Strikes and Child Protection Act of 2004" has begun. Mike Reynolds, the proponent of the original Three Strikes law, has formed a campaign committee and begun his attacks.

While we cannot stop the attacks and misrepresentations by Mike Reynolds and others, we must do everything possible to communicate our message to the voters. We cannot do that without your help.

Your help is needed in two ways:

First, please make a contribution of $2,500, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, or $50.

Second, host a small house party by June 30th for your friends, neighbors, colleagues and others to raise much needed funds for CAVC, and further spread our message. Hosting a small house party by yourself or with friends will take little time or effort.

To help you along, you can CLICK HERE for our PDF format "House Party Handbook" on the campaign website. If you agree to host a house party, the campaign will do whatever it can to help you.

The campaign formed against us is titled "Californians United For Public Safety." Some have referred to them as CUPS. We prefer to call them the "EMPTY CUPS."

As is to be expected, the EMPTY CUPS argue in favor of Three Strikes and its impact on crime in California. These arguments, and many more, will continue. Mostly, they will attempt to scare voters into believing that dangerous and violent criminals will be released from jail if our initiative passes.Opponents ignore the injustice and cost to taxpayers of sentencing a non-violent, petty offender to 25-years to life for walking out of a store with a $199 VCR. They continue to support a costly law that is so flawed that many District Attorneys refuse to prosecute non-violent petty crimes as third strikes.

We know what our opponents are going to do and say. We know that you will vote for passage of this important initiative. But what we don't know is just how much you will do to help us win in November.

Whatever your level of participation, your help is needed today. We need your contributions and your agreement to host a house party by June 30th.

Please CLICK HERE to volunteer to host a house party, or to make a contribution CLICK HERE or send a check, made payable to CAVC, to us at 12922 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, CA 92840.

Your continued support will be critical to our victory in November. Please send your contribution today…and please sign-up at www.amend3strikes.org to hold a house party or call Jim Benson at 1-866-3STRIKES.

Onward to victory,

Joe Klaas
Chairman

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There are no limits on personal or corporate contributions. Contributions to "Citizens Against Violent Crime" are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. We cannot accept donations from foreign nationals.

Paid for and maintained by Citizens Against Violent Crime, major funding by Watchdog Over Legislation Foundation Committee and business owner Jerry Keenan. Citizens Against Violent Crime, 1625 17th St, Ste 105, Santa Ana, CA 92705 FPPC #1220428.