Three strikes was working fine

I find it hard to believe that so many people fell for the hype on the Three Strikes Law and that they voted to modify it. The law, as it was, was doing a good job for us. Three felonies are enough warnings for anyone, even minor felonies.

Anyone who believes that someone who has committed three felonies will stop if they are given another chance needs to take another look at crime statistics. Anyone who lives such a destructive lifestyle that they have committed three felonies is, in all likelihood, not going to change.

The state will save a few million per year, maybe, but it is us, the individual citizens of this state, who will be paying for this change in increased losses from these criminals for years to come. It looks to me that the only people who came out ahead with this change are the criminals. I only hope that when the felon commits a fourth felony, that it is not me or mine laying there bleeding on the ground.

JIM E. SMALLWOOD

Modesto