robbery the drop is 48.6% over 1993 levels or 172,045 fewer robbery victims than would have occurred if the 1993 rate had continued. For aggravated assault the drop is 25.9% over 1993 levels or 111,223 fewer assault victims than would have occurred if the 1993 rate had continued. For burglary the drop is 38.3% over 1993 levels or 454,654 fewer burglary victims than would have occurred if the 1993 rate had continued. Vehicle theft is down 40.4%or 339,082 fewer victims of vehicle theft than would have occurred if the 1993 rate had continued.

Utilizing the cost factors calculated by the National Institute of Justice, a department of the U.S. Department of Justice, for each of the foregoing crimes the tangible cost of these crimes had they occurred would be $8,155,132,850.00. The overall cost of these crimes had they occurred including both the tangible and intangible costs would be $21,655,636,200.00. To put such figures in perspective, the cost of incarcerating a third strike felon for the 20-year minimum provided under the law at $21,000.00/year is $420,000.00 not taking into account inflation. The aggregate tangible and intangible cost of one murder is $2,940,000.00. Setting aside for the moment the observation that life is priceless, the overall cost of 5,694 murders that would have occurred if 1993 levels had continued is $5,864,820,000.00. Utilizing the $420,000.00 figure for purposes of illustration, the cost of incarcerating the 5,658 offenders who have been sentenced as third strike felons (two prior serious or violent felony convictions with a new felony conviction) for a period of 20 years is $2,376,360,000.00. This is $3,488,460,000.00 less than the aggregate cost of those murders that would have occurred if 1993 rates for murder had continued. This is $5,778,772,850.00 less than the tangible cost of the murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries and auto thefts that would have occurred if 1993 crime rates had continued. This does not even begin to take into account the intangible cost of misery, emotional distress and fear created as a consequence of those crimes. However, most importantly, it is 5,694 citizens of California who are still

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