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In September of 1996, a coalition of organizations from the Los Angeles area came together with the intent of amending the three-strikes law to apply to violent offenses only. While we did not achieve our goal during the first year, we did succeed in forming a statewide organization named Families to Amend California’s Three Strikes – FACTS. We now have chapters in many cities across the state and have also reached into the prisons with the formation of Inside F.A.C.T.S. chapters.

FACTS understands the public’s fear, anger and perception of crime, no one wants to be victimized. Many of us felt the Three Strikes Law would be a viable means to curtail the violent, heinous offender. WE WERE WRONG! While most would agree that we need tough laws to handle violent recidivists, the Three Strikes Law has cast a net so board that juvenile offenses committed over 20 years ago qualify a person for life in prison for a petty theft or simple drug possession. We believe that punishment should be given for crimes, but let the time fit the crime! Drug rehab and prevention programs have been replaced with life in prison. People with mental illness receive a prison cell for life rather than competent medical attention for their illness. In the last 15 years, California has built 21 prisons and ONLY one (1) institution of higher learning. For the first time in history, the prison budget far exceeds the budget for higher education and there are far more Blacks and Latinos in prison than in college. The prison industry was the fastest & biggest cottage industry in the 90’s, it is on the stock exchange, a profit windfall!

FACTS membership is made up of family members, community leaders and activists, attorneys, students, Professors and people of conscience that want to see an end to this atrocious law. We reach widely into the prisons with a quarterly newsletter, “The Striker”; to inform and encourage the thousands of men and women who have had their lives stolen from them by this unjust law. We represent thousands of second and third strikers.

FACTS is committed to seeing the fight for justice to the end. We will not stop until this law is history, and then still our plans are to continue our fight against our faulty criminal justice system with the opening of FREE – Foundation for Research, Education and Empowerment Institute. While other states are reversing “lock-‘em-up throw away the key policies”, acknowledging that from victory. Prop 66, to Amend the Three Strikes Law to target violent/serious felonies only, will be on the November 2004 ballot. We need the moral, physical, spiritual, and financial commitment of all that want to secure our victory. If you would like to be part of the fight, please join us. Membership is always open and is only $10.00 per year.

Prior Legislation

Proposition 184, Nov. 1994 Enacted AB 971 (Jones/Costa) 1994 – Chapter 12 – Three Strike law passed.

Legislation Against

SB 2089 (Marks) 1995 – Failed passage in the Senate

AB 1444 (Kuehl) 1996 – Failed passage in the Assembly Public Safety

SB 1317 (Lee) 1997 – Same as AB 1444, failed passage on the Senate floor

SB 2048 (Vasconcellos) 1998 – Authorized a study, Pete Wilson vetoed

SB 79 – (Hayden) 1999 – Failed on Senate floor

AB 2447 – (Wright) 2000 – Failed on the Assembly floor

AB 1652 – (Goldberg) 2001 – Pulled and put in inactive status for 2002

AB 1790 ( Goldberg) 2002 – Pulled, lack of votes to pass the Appropriations Comm.

AB 112 ( Goldberg) 2003 – Pulled May 2003, put in inactive status.

Prop 66 – We lost this ballot initiative by a slim margin and vow to continue the fight

Today, we are working towards successful legislation for Spring of 2005