| Tangible cost per crime | Overall cost per crime | |
|---|---|---|
| Murder | $1,030,000 | $2,940,000 |
| Rape | 5,100 | 87,000 |
| Robbery | 2,300 | 8,000 |
| Assault | 1,550 | 9,400 |
| Burglary | 1,100 | 1,400 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 3,500 | 3,700 |
When the costs are multiplied by the number of crimes that were not committed during the crime drop experienced since 1994, a range of economic savings to the community can be estimated.
 |
Crimes not committed |
Tangible costs | Overall costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | 5,694 | $5,864,820,000 | $16,740,360,000 |
| Rape | 6,923 | 35,307,300 | 602,301,000 |
| Robbery | 172,045 | 395,703,500 | 1,376,360,000 |
| Assault | 111,223 | 172,395,650 | 1,045,496,200 |
| Burglary | 454,654 | 500,119,400 | 636,515,600 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 339,082 | 1,186,787,000 | 1,254,603,400 |
| Total | 1,089,621 | $8,155,132,850 | $21,655,636,200 |
The economic savings to the people of California from the reduction in crime during the Three Strikes era is between $8.2 billion and $21.7 billion.
In 1994, the Governor�s Office of Planning and Research estimated that over the first five years, Three Strikes would save $23 billion. That is one estimate about Three Strikes that appears to have hit the mark fairly accurately.
Conclusion
While a variety of factors influence the crime rate in California and across the nation, it is clear that the implementation of the Three Strikes and You�re Out law has made a considerable positive impact on the incidence of crime in California.
While still more needs to be done to get dangerous assault weapons off our streets and improve our education system to help prevent at-risk youth from turning to a life of crime, one thing we must not do is soften the nation�s toughest and most effective crime law.
Opponents that hold up rare examples of low level felonies that trigger double or triple sentences for career criminals must remember that before anyone is even eligible for Three Strikes sentencing, they must have already been caught and convicted of multiple serious and violent felonies. We must make sure that dangerous and violent criminals are removed from our streets, if possible, for a lower level felony � before they rape, murder or molest a third victim.
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