For purposes of California’s three-strikes law, serious felonies are listed in California Penal Code Section 1192.7(c) and 1192.8(a). Along with violent felonies, a conviction for any of these crimes will count as a strike prior. A serious felony under PC 1192.7 and 1192.8 is any of the following offenses:
- Murder or voluntary manslaughter.
- Mayhem.
- Rape.
- Sodomy by force, violence, duress, menace, threat of great bodily injury, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person.
- Oral copulation by force, violence, duress, menace, threat of great bodily injury, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person.
- Lewd or lascivious act on a child under the age of 14 years.
- Any felony punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison for life.
- Any felony in which the defendant personally inflicts great bodily injury on any person, other than an accomplice, or any felony in which the defendant personally uses a firearm.
- Attempted murder.
- Assault with intent to commit rape or robbery.
- Assault with a deadly weapon or instrument on a peace officer.
- Assault by a life prisoner on a non-inmate.
- Assault with a deadly weapon by an inmate.
- Arson.
- Exploding a destructive device or any explosive with the intent to injure.
- Exploding a destructive device or any explosive causing bodily injury, great bodily injury or mayhem.
- Exploding a destructive device or any explosive with intent to murder.
- Any burglary of the first degree.
- Robbery or bank robbery.
- Kidnapping.
- Holding of a hostage by a person confined in a state prison.
- Attempt to commit a felony punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison for life.
- Any felony in which the defendant personally used a dangerous or deadly weapon.
- Selling, furnishing, administering, giving, or offering to sell, furnish, administer, or give to a minor any heroin, cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), or any methamphetamine-related drug, as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 11055 of the Health and Safety Code, or any of the precursors of methamphetamines, as described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11055 or subdivision (a) of Section 11100 of the Health and Safety Code.
- Any violation of subdivision (a) of Penal Code Section 289 where the act is accomplished against the victim’s will by force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person.
- Grand theft involving a firearm.
- Carjacking.
- A felony offense, which would also constitute a felony violation of Penal Code Section 186.22 (relating to criminal street gang sentencing enhancements).
- Assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy, or oral copulation, in violation of Penal Code Section 220.
- Assault with caustic chemicals, in violation of Penal Code Section 244.
- Assault with a deadly weapon, firearm, machine gun, assault weapon, or semiautomatic firearm or assault on a peace officer or firefighter, in violation of Penal Code Section 245.
- Assault with a deadly weapon against a public transit employee, custodial officer, or school employee, in violation of Penal Code Sections 245.2, 245.3, or 245.5.
- Discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, vehicle, or aircraft, in violation of Penal Code Section 246.
- Commission of rape or sexual penetration in concert with another person, in violation of Penal Code Section 264.1.
- Continuous sexual abuse of a child, in violation of Penal Code Section 288.5.
- Shooting from a vehicle, in violation of subdivision (c) or (d) of Penal Code Section 26100 (relating to “drive-by” shootings).
- Intimidation of victims or witnesses, in violation of Penal Code Section 136.1.
- Criminal threats, in violation of Penal Code Section 422.
- Any attempt to commit a “serious felony” other than an assault.
- Any violation of Penal Code Section 12022.53.
- A violation of subdivision (b) or (c) of Penal Code Section 11418 (relating to weapons of mass destruction).
- Human trafficking of a minor in violation of Penal Code Section 236.1(c).
- Any conspiracy to commit a “serious felony.”
- Any violation of Penal Code Section 191.5, paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 192, subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 192.5 of this code, or Section 2800.3, subdivision (b) of Section 23104, or Section 23153 of the Vehicle Code, when any of these offenses involve the personal infliction of great bodily injury on any person other than an accomplice, or the personal use of a dangerous or deadly weapon, within the meaning of paragraph (8) or (23) of subdivision (c) of PC Section 1192.7.
Note that Los Angeles County prosecutors are no longer increasing sentences based on prior strikes. Learn more here.
Legal Citations:
- The full language of the statute reads as follows:
(a) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that district attorneys prosecute violent sex crimes under statutes that provide sentencing under a “one strike,” “three strikes” or habitual sex offender statute instead of engaging in plea bargaining over those offenses.(2) Plea bargaining in any case in which the indictment or information charges any serious felony, any felony in which it is alleged that a firearm was personally used by the defendant, or any offense of driving while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, or any other intoxicating substance, or any combination thereof, is prohibited, unless there is insufficient evidence to prove the people’s case, or testimony of a material witness cannot be obtained, or a reduction or dismissal would not result in a substantial change in sentence.(3) If the indictment or information charges the defendant with a violent sex crime, as listed in subdivision (c) of Section 667.61, that could be prosecuted under Sections 269, 288.7, subdivisions (b) through (i) of Section 667, Section 667.61, or 667.71, plea bargaining is prohibited unless there is insufficient evidence to prove the people’s case, or testimony of a material witness cannot be obtained, or a reduction or dismissal would not result in a substantial change in sentence. At the time of presenting the agreement to the court, the district attorney shall state on the record why a sentence under one of those sections was not sought.
(b) As used in this section, “plea bargaining” means any bargaining, negotiation, or discussion between a criminal defendant, or their counsel, and a prosecuting attorney or judge, whereby the defendant agrees to plead guilty or nolo contendere, in exchange for any promises, commitments, concessions, assurances, or consideration by the prosecuting attorney or judge relating to any charge against the defendant or to the sentencing of the defendant.
(c) As used in this section, “serious felony” means any of the following:
(1) Murder or voluntary manslaughter; (2) mayhem; (3) rape; (4) sodomy by force, violence, duress, menace, threat of great bodily injury, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person; (5) oral copulation by force, violence, duress, menace, threat of great bodily injury, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person; (6) lewd or lascivious act on a child under 14 years of age; (7) any felony punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison for life; (8) any felony in which the defendant personally inflicts great bodily injury on any person, other than an accomplice, or any felony in which the defendant personally uses a firearm; (9) attempted murder; (10) assault with intent to commit rape or robbery; (11) assault with a deadly weapon or instrument on a peace officer; (12) assault by a life prisoner on a noninmate; (13) assault with a deadly weapon by an inmate; (14) arson; (15) exploding a destructive device or any explosive with intent to injure; (16) exploding a destructive device or any explosive causing bodily injury, great bodily injury, or mayhem; (17) exploding a destructive device or any explosive with intent to murder; (18) any burglary of the first degree; (19) robbery or bank robbery; (20) kidnapping; (21) holding of a hostage by a person confined in a state prison; (22) attempt to commit a felony punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison for life; (23) any felony in which the defendant personally used a dangerous or deadly weapon; (24) selling, furnishing, administering, giving, or offering to sell, furnish, administer, or give to a minor any heroin, cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), or any methamphetamine-related drug, as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 11055 of the Health and Safety Code, or any of the precursors of methamphetamines, as described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11055 or subdivision (a) of Section 11100 of the Health and Safety Code; (25) any violation of subdivision (a) of Section 289 where the act is accomplished against the victim’s will by force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person; (26) grand theft involving a firearm; (27) carjacking; (28) any felony offense, which would also constitute a felony violation of Section 186.22; (29) assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy, or oral copulation, in violation of Section 220; (30) throwing acid or flammable substances, in violation of Section 244; (31) assault with a deadly weapon, firearm, machinegun, assault weapon, or semiautomatic firearm or assault on a peace officer or firefighter, in violation of Section 245; (32) assault with a deadly weapon against a public transit employee, custodial officer, or school employee, in violation of Section 245.2, 245.3, or 245.5; (33) discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, vehicle, or aircraft, in violation of Section 246; (34) commission of rape or sexual penetration in concert with another person, in violation of Section 264.1; (35) continuous sexual abuse of a child, in violation of Section 288.5; (36) shooting from a vehicle, in violation of subdivision (c) or (d) of Section 26100; (37) intimidation of victims or witnesses, in violation of Section 136.1; (38) criminal threats, in violation of Section 422; (39) any attempt to commit a crime listed in this subdivision other than an assault; (40) any violation of Section 12022.53; (41) a violation of subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11418; (42) human trafficking of a minor, in violation of subdivision (c) of Section 236.1, except, with respect to a violation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 236.1, where the person who committed the offense was a victim of human trafficking, as described in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 236.1, at the time of the offense; and (43) any conspiracy to commit an offense described in this subdivision.
(d) As used in this section, “bank robbery” means to take or attempt to take, by force or violence, or by intimidation from the person or presence of another any property or money or any other thing of value belonging to, or in the care, custody, control, management, or possession of, any bank, credit union, or any savings and loan association.
As used in this subdivision, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Bank” means any member of the Federal Reserve System, and any bank, banking association, trust company, savings bank, or other banking institution organized or operating under the laws of the United States, and any bank the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(2) “Savings and loan association” means any federal savings and loan association and any “insured institution” as defined in Section 401 of the National Housing Act, as amended, and any federal credit union as defined in Section 2 of the Federal Credit Union Act.
(3) “Credit union” means any federal credit union and any state-chartered credit union the accounts of which are insured by the Administrator of the National Credit Union administration.
(e) The provisions of this section shall not be amended by the Legislature except by statute passed in each house by rollcall vote entered in the journal, two-thirds of the membership concurring, or by a statute that becomes effective only when approved by the electors.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 230, Sec. 4. (SB 14) Effective January 1, 2024. Note: This section was added on June 8, 1982, by initiative Prop. 8, and amended on March 7, 2000, by initiative Prop. 21.)