Out of all of the charges that you could have laid against you, there are only 40 qualifying offences for a strike—and they are regarded as being serious violent offences. The offender is not hit with a full sentence straight away, they're given a warning—that's their first strike. They are released after serving the full sentence imposed on them in their second strike. And if they do get to the third strike, it is the maximum penalty for that offence with no parole.