`3 STRIKES' LAW TRULY MAKES CALIFORNIA SAFER.

Byline: Pete Wilson 

THREE years ago Friday, I signed into law America's first ``three strikes, you're out'' law at the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood station, mandating a sentence of 25 years to life for three-time felons in California. While not every law on the books has an immediate and dramatic effect, our ``three strikes'' statute is surely an exception. It has already made our state significantly safer.

The proof is in the numbers: As of January this year, 2,900 violent criminals had been imprisoned under ``three strikes,'' taking them off the streets and keeping them away from the innocent men, women and children who would surely be the next victims in their lives of violent crime.

Since the passage of ``three strikes,'' California's overall crime rate has fallen by more than 20 percent. Violent crime is down more than 9 percent. Property crimes have decreased by 14 percent, and homicides are down 13 percent.

Last month, Attorney General Dan Lungren reported that major crimes in California plunged more than 12 percent in the first nine months of 1996 - to a level not seen since 1952 - as the state experienced the largest one-year drop in the crime rate and in violent crime in its history.

These facts teach a lesson that is unmistakably clear: Tougher laws and longer sentences mean more criminals behind bars and less crime in our communities. And considering that two-thirds of violent crime is perpetrated by less than 10 percent of convicted felons, keeping this relatively small number of the most dangerous repeat offenders locked up is especially important.

That is exactly why we worked to pass ``three strikes.'' Violent crime is waged on too many streets in too many neighborhoods in California.

Every day thousands of dedicated California peace officers risk their lives to enforce our laws and make our state a safer place. They deserve our support, and they need laws like ``three strikes'' to enable them to put away dangerous repeat offenders and keep them off our streets.

Before we enacted this law, ``revolving-door justice'' had prevented law-enforcement officials from turning career criminals into career inmates.

Hardened criminals who repeatedly assault our citizens, terrorize the elderly and prey upon children must pay a severe penalty for their crimes.

There are those, however, who believe that ``three strikes'' laws unfairly punish some people. In particular, they cite the case of Jed Miller, the so-called ``bicycle bandit,'' and Jerry Williams, known as the ``pizza thief.''

Miller was arrested in March 1994 after stealing a bicycle and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison under California's ``three strikes'' law. Williams was arrested in July 1994 after he stole pizza from some young boys, and he also got a ``three strikes'' sentence.

Opponents of ``three strikes'' insisted that Miller and Williams were the victims of excessive punishment for trivial crimes. A look at the criminal records of these two men demonstrates that the real victims are the Californians who were unfortunate victims of Miller and Williams.

From 1984 to 1991, Miller was convicted of five felonies, including three separate burglaries, assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession and vehicle theft. From 1986 to 1990, Williams was convicted of four felonies, including drug possession, auto theft, robbery and attempted robbery.

It is more than apparent from the record of their earlier crimes that Miller and Williams are a threat to anyone, anytime. They have no business walking the streets, free to commit more crimes against more citizens.

Every Californian has a right to live free from the fear of crime, especially crimes committed by those who have a pattern of breaking the law and menacing innocent people. The public movement that led to the enactment of ``three strikes'' laws and a significant reduction in crime in California was, and is, an effective and vitally needed protection for the people of California against career criminals.