Under the 10-20-LIFE law, any person who pulls out a gun or fires a gun during any type of crime will be subject to these harsh penalties.
The law is laid out as follows: Any person who commits a felony or attempts to commit a felony and possesses a firearm or another type of destructive device during the offense will be penalized with a minimum of 10 years in prison.
In cases where the person commits, or attempts to commit, a felony and the firearm is discharged, this person will be facing a minimum 20 year prison term.
If a person is injured or killed as a result of the firearm or destructive device, the alleged defendant will be penalized with 25 years to life imprisonment.
The state of Florida takes weapon crimes very seriously, and even a first time offender may face life imprisonment for firing a weapon and injuring another person in the process.
The reason that this type of crime is taken so seriously is that a person's life may be at stake when involved with an alleged offender.
If a person pulls a gun on an individual, the victim will be traumatized - if they survive the incident.
The victim may need extensive medical treatment and rehabilitative therapy if they are shot and wounded, and possibly psychological therapy as well to cope with the incident.
Another offense that is described under this law includes the possession of a firearm by a felon, which mandates a minimum of 3 years imprisonment.
For a person convicted of a crime under the 10-20-LIFE law, they must serve their prison terms consecutively with any other terms of imprisonment imposed by the law.
The results of this law have not only been impressive, but they have also been proven to be successful in diminishing crime rates in the state of Florida.
For example, in the first six years that the act was imposed, the violent gun crime rates dropped 30 percent, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
According to their reports, this means that nearly 10,500 fewer people were robbed and 380 less were killed in first few years of the program.
Unfortunately, for those individuals who are wrongfully accused of this type of offense, the law is very unforgiving.
Facing ten years, twenty years or even life imprisonment for a crime that you did not commit can be one of the most frightening thoughts, but it does happen.
Any person who fails to retain the legal services of a criminal defense attorney may suffer harsh consequences sought by the tough prosecution.
This can happen when an unreliable witness or a malicious action of another person makes an innocent person look guilty.
If you have been wrongly accused of a gun-related crime and are currently under investigation by a local authority, you will need to talk to a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
Only a law firm with experience in this area of the law will be able to defend your rights and help protect your future.