BILL NUMBER: SB 873	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 18, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   APRIL 12, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Vasconcellos

                        FEBRUARY 25, 1999

   An act relating to sentencing.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 873, as amended, Vasconcellos.  Sentencing:  prior convictions:
  joint study.
   Existing law, known as the "3 strikes law" and codified in 2
initiative statutes, prescribes alternative prison sentencing for any
person convicted of a felony who has one or more prior serious or
violent felony convictions.
   This bill would require the Legislative Analyst to undertake a
joint study to examine the costs and benefits of the "3 strikes law"
and to report its findings, as specified, to the Legislature by
 July 1   December 31  , 2000.  The bill
also would require the Judicial Council, the Attorney General, and
the University of California to assist the Legislative Analyst in
conducting the study.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Legislative Analyst shall examine the costs and
benefits of the "three strikes" law, and report its findings to the
Legislature on or before  July 1   December 31
 , 2000.  The Judicial Council, the Attorney General, and the
University of California (upon approval by the Board of Regents)
shall assist the Legislative Analyst in conducting the study.  The
report shall examine the extent to which reductions in serious crime
can be attributed to mandatory state incarceration policies, and
shall compare any ascertainable benefits from crime prevention
through incapacitation of various types of offenders with the costs
of incarcerating them.  The report shall also assess the degree to
which the "three strikes" law exacerbates selective law enforcement
problems, and the cost of corrective measures.  The study shall also
assess the manner in which the "three strikes" law is implemented in
representative urban, rural, and mixed urban-rural counties in
California. The study shall utilize existing resources of the
participating agencies.