The Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

quite different from state to state; these inconsistencies have been removed to some
extent in the past decade.
Some unusual scenarios have arisen, particularly in California in the United States —
the state punishes shoplifting and similar crimes involving over $500 in property
as felony petty theft if the person who committed the crime has a prior conviction for any
form of theft, including robbery or burglary. As a result, some defendants have been
given sentences of 25 years to life in prison for such crimes as shoplifting golf clubs
(Gary Ewing, previous strikes for burglary and robbery with a knife), nine videotapes
(Leandro Andrade, 50 years to life for two counts of shoplifting), or, along with a violent
assault, a slice of pepperoni pizza from a group of children (Jerry Dewayne Williams,
four previous non-violent felonies, sentence later reduced to six years on appeal).
Undue Prosecutorial Leverage
Habitual Offender laws also give prosecutors more power to force a defendant to plea
bargain, as often the only deviation from a mandatory minimum sentence is with
prosecutor approval.
Compatibility with Fundamental Rights
The laws have been challenged on the basis of violating fundamental rights.
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