Crime and Punishment in California: The Impact of Three Strikes and You're Out

California legislation has produced nine times as many mandatory prison sentences as the other 25 "three strikes" states and the federal government combined. This study analyzes arrests before and after the California statute went into effect in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. It shows that the arrest rate among persons not subject to the new penalties dropped as much as the arrest rate for the targets of three strikes, and argues that the legislation does not appear to be an important part of the general decline in California crime. The volume lacks a subject index. Information on the author is not given. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)