conviction must be for a violent crime that is adjudicated in a federal court. The first two convictions, however, may be for either a violent crime adjudicated in federal court or violence or drug related felonies adjudicated in state courts. The federal law also provides for the release of some "third strike" prisoners once they reach the age of 70 if they have served a minimum of 30 years in prison.
Opponents of the "third strike" provision contend that in practice it will discriminate against minorities (Idleson, 1994, pp. 2137-2140). Proponents contend that the only minority persons that will be affected are those who commit a violent crime. Opponents also charge that the potential for a life sentence will cause perpetrators to kill their victims to prevent testimony against them. Proponents contend that the law will remove violent offenders from the streets permanently. The list of federal capital offenses was expanded in the crime bill of 1994. Arguments for and against the death penalty are well known to every rational adult American who is not mentally defective. Neither side is likely to be persuaded by the arguments of the other.
The sales of new weapons described by a list of 19 different types of assault weapons were prohibited by the crime bill of 1994. Proponents point to the numbers of violent crimes in which assault weapons are used. Opponents repeat the tired and spurious arguments of the National Rifle Association. The new law does not prohibit the resale of the 19 different types of assault weapons already in the hands of the general public. Thus, the prohibition against assault weapons is not what some people may believe it to be. Nevertheless, the new Republican members of Congress who feel indebted to the National Rifle Association are proposing to repeal the ban on assault weapons although such action is opposed by the major police associations in the country. Of course, what do the police k...