Under the law, certain crimes count as "strikes," with punishment increasing for each subsequent felony. One study, conducted by sponsors of the law, said it has helped to reduce crime statewide since its 1994 implementation. The report also said the law has saved the government $28.5 billion.

"By any objective analysis, three strikes has not only been a success, it's been the most successful criminal-justice legislation ever passed in California," said Bill Jones, who was author of the law as a state senator and is now a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate.

However, another, more-detailed study contends that the law has failed to lower crime and has cost the state an additional $8 billion.

"The law costs too much, does too little and targets the wrong people," said Vincent Schiraldi, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., which issued the report.

According to the Justice Policy Institute report, 57 percent of the third-strike offenses -- which trigger harsh mandatory penalties -- were identified as nonviolent, such as burglary, theft, and other property crimes. An initiative is underway by Californians Against Violent Crime to revise the law so that is only serious or violent crimes are counted as strikes and second- and third-strike sentences for minor offenses are not counted.

Schiraldi added that crime in the state began dropping in 1991, and continues to decline for reasons unrelated to the three-strikes law.

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