by Jody Armour California’s three strikes law has done 28 years of damage to our state. In the wake of the tragic murder of Kimber Reynolds in 1992 and Polly Klaas, in 1993, Californians understandably found themselves wracked with fear for their safety and for that of their children. We did not, however, take a long, hard look at what we could do to prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and truly and effectively support victims, as we should have. Instead, we listened to the claims of law enforcement unions and elected officials who insisted that they could only ensure security by locking up people with criminal records for as long as possible.