PROP. 66 MAINTAINS STIFF PENALTIES FOR ARSON

ARSON OF A DWELLING OR WHERE GREAT BODILY INJURY OCCURS WOULD STILL BE STRIKES

ARSON WITHOUT INJURY OR TO A BUILDING WOULD STILL BRING STIFF PRISON SENTENCES

PROP. 66 WILL REDUCE THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WASTED ON KEEPING NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS IN JAIL FOR LIFE

Under existing law, all arsons count as serious felonies, even ones involving non-residential structures and person property, like cars.

This has led to a life sentence in prison for a young man who SET A TRASH CAN ON FIRE!

Clearly, this is not the type of crime that the Three Strikes law was intended to cover.

Under Prop. 66, the following arson crimes will continue to be strikes:

1.  Arson that causes great bodily injury is a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for five, seven, or nine years.

2.  Arson that causes an inhabited structure or inhabited property to burn is a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, five or eight years.

“Inhabited” includes “currently being used for dwelling purposes whether occupied or not.” Burning down a person's house while he is on vacation would still qualify as a strike under Prop. 66

Prop. 66 protects firefighters: injuries to firefighters would still be “strikes”

If a firefighter sustains great bodily injury fighting a fire – whether it be in an uninhabited residence, a forest, or a car - that arises from a crime of arson, that would still count as a strike.

Arson that causes great bodily injury and arson of an inhabited structure or property are independent strikes under Prop. 66.

Prop. 66 would provide that only residential arsons and ones causing great bodily injury count as serious felonies. Other types of arson will still be punished with stiff sentences, but will not qualify for the life sentence enhancements.

Prop. 66 will impose a punishment on a 1^st offense for a property or structural arson of 1 1/2 years to 6 years, depending on the specific crime.

After a first offense the person is required for varying periods of time to register as an arsonist, the same as if they were a sex offender.

A 2^nd offense would result in a 4 1/2 to 11 years sentence depending on the specific crime.

A 3^rd offense would result in additional enhancements, resulting in a 7 1/2 to 16 year sentence.