I will never forget arriving home from work on that July evening. My wife greeted me in my kitchen with fear in her eyes. She cried “How could this happen to this family? This could happen to us too!” This tragic event destroyed her sense of security in our home. Within one week, every window and door in our home was alarmed. It is obvious that the Cheshire home invasion left many of us concerned for our safety and our family members’ safety. Following this tragedy, gun sales increased and the interest in installing security systems skyrocketed.

The governor and the Republican minority called for the passage of a true three strikes law, but the Democrat majority, including my opponent, voted against it. A three time violent criminal – someone convicted of three rapes, arsons, kidnappings, or home invasions – should go to jail for life, no questions asked. A three strikes law provides a fix to a flawed justice system so that repeat offenders stay in prison.

To many crime victims, the judicial system has been a disappointment. Evidentiary exception rules, case backlogs, liberal sentences, plea-bargaining, and a protect-the-criminal-rather-than-the-victim mentality has far too often let criminals slip through the cracks. Most crime nowadays is committed by repeat offenders. The three strikes law is a way for us to ensure that our community is safeguarded, rather than leaving open the chance that the criminal will be given a fourth opportunity to strike again.

Is there a better deterrent than the knowledge that you will definitely go to jail forever if you are convicted for a third time? If a criminal does not reform after two felony convictions, it is unlikely that he or she ever will. Allowing a person convicted of a second violent offense a third chance is insulting enough. The criminal who commits a third violent offense does not deserve our mercy. He or she deserves a life sentence.

Three strikes laws are effective because they target repeat offenders who have proven unable to change their criminal behavior. A three strikes law may not restore the sense of security that existed before the Cheshire home invasion, but it will keep dangerous criminals in jail and out of our neighborhoods.

As your State Senator, I will fight for the passage of a true three strike law.

Vincent M. Marino is the Republican candidate for the 14th State Senatorial District which encompasses Milford, Orange and West Haven and has served as the town attorney for the Town of Orange since January 2006. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Attorney Marino lives in Orange with his wife and two children.