Criminal Defense Attorney for Third Strikes

Sometimes the prison system does its job and rehabilitates offenders. They are incarcerated and after serving their time they learn their lesson. Other times people grow-up and mature and learn habits and activities that eliminate the need for criminality in their lives. Yes, they have already done some terrible things but the future is looking up. Unfortunately, staying out of trouble is not as easy at it seems. Sometimes even after laying off serious or violent behavior one will commit a more minor felony. While for other people this may pose an inconvenience or at worst a hard life lesson, for a habitual offender it can mean loss of freedom for the rest of one's life.

In many states there are what are colloquially called "three-strikes laws" meant to extend the incarceration and minimum sentencing of people who continually engage in illegal behaviors. For these people it is very important that they get a criminal defense attorney to help them avoid spending the rest of their lives in prison over one more in a serious of unfortunate events.

A criminal defense attorney can do a lot to try to avoid a conviction under three-strikes statutes. In many instances a person commits both of their first two strikes at the same time. Say they robbed a liquor store with a handgun and they shoot someone. They are charged with both the armed robbery and the assault with a deadly weapon and so they are already two in the hole. Well if then twenty years later they shoplift some clothing or get charged with a felony DUI they may spend the rest of their life behind bars. You see, while the first two strikes are restricted to only serious or violent felonies the third can be any felonious behavior no matter how minor.

A criminal defense attorney can do a lot to make sure that a third mistake does not cost their client their liberty. In a perfect scenario an accused person will work with their lawyer to avoid getting any strike convictions on their record often through plea-bargaining, deferment, or drug court. This keeps them from building the groundwork that puts them at risk of losing their freedom.

In some instances it is too late for this. Some people already have two hits against them and now need to hopefully rectify a third without going away for 25 to life. For people for whom this is the situation it is imperative they talk with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. It may be possible to get a previous offense overlooked or expunged before sentencing. Another option is working to get the third charge downgraded to a misdemeanor of some sort. This often will involve a sentencing agreement whereby the accused does community service or other punishments as alternatives to incarceration. The fact remains that it may be impossible to avoid jail time but it certainly is possible to minimize it as best as possible.