FW: 10-20-Life has helped drive down Florida’s violent-gun crime rates 30 percent since 1998.
Date: Sep 25, 2006 10:33 AM

Introduction

10-20-Life has helped drive down Florida’s violent-gun crime rates 30 percent since 1998. State’s 2004 index crime rate now the lowest in 34 years, and the violent crime rate the lowest in a quarter century.

In 1998, criminals in Florida used guns to commit 31,643 violent felonies, including 13,937 armed robberies. That year, the mandatory punishment for using a gun to commit a violent felony was only three years in prison. During his campaign for Governor in 1998, Jeb Bush proposed the toughest gun-crime law in the nation: 10-20-Life. Under 10-20-Life, a felon who used a gun to commit a crime like armed robbery would face at least 10 years in state prison. If he shot the gun, 10-20-Life increased the mandatory prison penalty to 20 years. If the armed robber shot someone, the Governor’s proposed 10-20-Life law increased the mandatory prison sentence to 25 years-to-life. In addition, the Governor’s proposal created a new mandatory 3-year prison term for any felon who even possessed a gun, regardless whether the felon used the gun during a crime.

In 1999, Governor Bush and the Legislature enacted Florida’s 10-20-Life law. In addition, the Governor’s office began a continuing public-service announcement campaign to warn would-be criminals of the severe penalties for using a gun in Florida: “Use a gun, and you’re done.”

The results under 10-20-Life are impressive. In only six years, from 1998-2004, 10-20-Life has helped drive down violent gun crime rates 30 percent statewide (see Firearm Involved Violent Crimes). During the 10-20-Life era, armed criminals robbed a total of 10,567 fewer people and killed a total 380 fewer than they would have if these crime numbers had remained at 1998 levels. These crime decreases occurred even as Florida’s population increased over 2.5 million (16.8 percent) between 1998 and 2004. Punishing criminals who use guns is making our state safer.

In addition to the Governor’s 10-20-Life initiative, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, working with local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors created innovative anti-crime strategies such as Operation T.H.U.G.S., (Taking Hoodlums Using Guns Seriously). T.H.U.G.S targets felons with warrants for homicide, robbery, kidnapping or sex crimes who used a firearm or have a criminal history involving firearms. Anyone can call the Florida Department of Law Enforcement at 1-800-704-0231 toll free to report these dangerous criminals. Operation T.H.U.G.S has resulted in 540 arrests and paid substantial rewards, contributing to our lower crime rates.

Governor Bush and the Florida Legislature have worked together to adopt public-safety reforms such as 10-20-Life, the Three-Strike Violent Felony Offender Act, and the Habitual Juvenile Offender Accountability Act. In addition, the Governor and Legislature have invested in our state prisons to ensure that early release of prisoners is eliminated. Today, state prisoners serve over 85 percent of their sentences, compared with less than 50 percent in 1994 (see the Time-Served and Percentage of Sentence Served in Florida’s Prisons report). Tough-on-crime initiatives have successfully reversed the lenient and disastrous criminal-justice policies of the early 1990s in Florida that caused so much suffering. Thanks to the dedication of our state’s law enforcement officers, correctional officers and state prosecutors who enforce tough laws like 10-20-Life, Florida’s 2003, “index crime” rate was the lowest in 34 years and the violent crime rate was the lowest in 26 years.

Florida’s 10-20-Life law has led to the imprisonment of many violent and armed felons. This report analyzes data on these criminals to provide information on the impact of Governor Bush’s 10-20-Life public-safety policy initiative. These tables and charts summarize current information about the crimes committed and the penalties received by felons admitted to prison under 10-20-Life.

Table of Contents

Background and Methods

Mandatory Sentences Under the 10-20-Life Law

Identifying Felons Sentenced Under the Law

Reporting

10-20-Life Felons Admitted to Prison

Cumulative Admissions by Quarter (Total Admitted)

Admissions by Quarter

Inmates vs. Crimes and Number of Qualifying Crimes

Demographics of 10-20-Life Felons

Gender / Race / Ethnicity of All Qualifying Inmates

Age When Crime Committed

County of Crime

Criminal History: Prior Florida Supervision Terms

Criminal History: Prior Florida Supervision and Prison Terms

Crimes and Sentencing of 10-20-Life Felons

Types of Crimes Committed

Crime Type: All Mandatories Excluding Per Se Weapons Crimes

Crime Type: 10-Year Mandatory Sentence

Crime Type: 20-Year Mandatory Sentence

Crime Type: 25-Life Mandatory Sentence

Mandatory Minimum Sentences by Crime Type

Maximum Prison Sentence Lengths

A report by:
Florida Department of Corrections
James V. Crosby, Jr., Secretary

Prepared by:
Bureau of Research and Data Analysis
July 2005

For more information, contact Glen Holley,
Research Associate, (850) 410-4498