State v. Grosse

565 N.W.2d 174, 210 Wis. 2d 172, 1997 Wisc. App. LEXIS 388
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedApril 10, 1997
Docket96-2027-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 565 N.W.2d 174 (State v. Grosse) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Grosse, 565 N.W.2d 174, 210 Wis. 2d 172, 1997 Wisc. App. LEXIS 388 (Wis. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

DYKMAN, P.J.

Jamie M. Grosse appeals from a judgment convicting him of one count of escape for leaving the halfway house to which he was assigned as part of his intensive sanctions program. He also *174 appeals from an order denying his motion for postconviction relief. Grosse argues that his conviction for escape violated the Double Jeopardy Clause because the Division of Intensive Sanctions previously imposed upon him a six-month prison confinement for the same escape. We conclude that the Division of Intensive Sanctions' action was not punitive for double jeopardy purposes, and therefore Grosse was not subjected to double jeopardy when he was convicted of escape. Accordingly, we affirm.

BACKGROUND

On June 23, 1994, Grosse received a three-year sentence to the Division of Intensive Sanctions (DIS) for his conviction of burglary, party to a crime. He was eventually placed at a halfway house in Beloit, Wisconsin.

On October 26, 1994, Grosse left the halfway house to visit his mother in Arizona. Ten days later he was apprehended. Grosse remained in jail in Arizona while contesting extradition to Wisconsin. When Grosse was returned to Wisconsin, DIS sanctioned him with a six-month confinement at Racine Correctional Institution for the escape, crediting him with the three months he served in Arizona. On May 2, 1995, he was released to a halfway house.

On August 24, 1995, the State charged Grosse with escape for leaving the halfway house on October 26, 1994. Grosse pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison, consecutive to the DIS sentence. Grosse moved for postconviction relief, arguing that the conviction was barred by the Double Jeopardy Clause. The trial court denied his motion. Grosse appeals.

*175 DISCUSSION

Grosse argues that his DIS sanction and subsequent criminal conviction for the same incident violated his double jeopardy rights. This is a question of law that we review de novo. See State v. Thierfelder, 174 Wis. 2d 213, 218, 495 N.W.2d 669, 672 (1993). There is generally a strong presumption in favor of the constitutionality of a statute. State v. McMaster, 206 Wis. 2d 30, 36, 556 N.W.2d 673, 676 (1996). In this case, Grosse bears the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that his administrative sanction and subsequent conviction for escape violates the Double Jeopardy Clause. See id.

The Double Jeopardy Clause includes three distinct constitutional guarantees: (1) protection against a second prosecution for the same offense after an acquittal; (2) protection against a second prosecution for the same offense after a conviction; and (3) protection against multiple punishments for the same offense. State v. Kurzawa, 180 Wis. 2d 502, 515, 509 N.W.2d 712, 717 (1994). Grosse contends that his DIS confinement and subsequent conviction for escape subjected him to multiple punishments for the same offense.

The State and Grosse agree that his conviction and sentencing for escape were punitive. They disagree, however, as to whether the DIS sanction constitutes a second punishment for double jeopardy purposes. To determine whether the DIS sanction constitutes punishment, we apply a "principal purpose" test. "Governmental action is punishment under the double jeopardy clause if its principal purpose is punishment, *176 retribution or deterrence." State v. Killebrew, 115 Wis. 2d 243, 251, 340 N.W.2d 470, 475 (1983).

Our courts have examined administrative sanctions in several similar contexts and have concluded that the sanctions did not constitute punishment for double jeopardy purposes. For example, in State ex rel. Flowers v. DHSS, 81 Wis. 2d 376, 260 N.W.2d 727 (1978), the court concluded that parole revocation was not punishment because parole revocation hearings are concerned not with retribution, but whether the parolee's rehabilitation "can be successfully achieved outside prison walls or will be furthered by returning him to a closed society." Id. at 385, 260 N.W.2d at 732. And in Killebrew, the court concluded that prison disciplinary action was not punishment for double jeopardy purposes because the primary purpose of the disciplinary action was to assist inmates "in adjusting their conduct in order to maintain a safe and humane environment in the prison." Killebrew, 115 Wis. 2d at 254, 340 N.W.2d at 476. See also State v. Fonder, 162 Wis. 2d 591, 469 N.W.2d 922 (Ct. App. 1991) (prison disciplinary action); State v. Quiroz, 149 Wis. 2d 691, 439 N.W.2d 621 (Ct. App. 1989) (extension of prisoner's mandatory release date); State ex rel. Bieser v. Percy, 97 Wis. 2d 702, 295 N.W.2d 179 (Ct. App. 1980) (forfeiture of "good time" as a consequence of parole revocation). Grosse argues, however, that the purpose of the DIS sanction was different than the purpose of the sanctions pursued in these other cases.

The legislature created the Division of Intensive Sanctions in 1991 and instructed the department of corrections (DOC) to design and administer the intensive sanctions program. See 1991 Wis. Act 39, § 3128hv. The legislature created DIS to provide: "(a) *177 Punishment that is less costly than ordinary imprisonment and more restrictive than ordinary probation or parole supervision"; "(b) Component phases that are intensive and highly structured"; and "(c) A series of component phases for each participant that is based on public safety considerations and the participant's needs for punishment and treatment." Section 301.048(1), Stats. Each component phase consists of one or more sanctions, 1 and the DOC may provide more than one sanction at a time or return to a sanction previously used for the participant. Section 301.048(3)(b).

The rules for the administration of the intensive sanctions program are contained in Chapter DOC 333 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. Section DOC 333.08 provides the rules for DIS participant discipline. This section provides that any participant who leaves the area to which he or she is assigned has committed a "major offense." Section DOC 333.08(5). A "major penalty" may be imposed if the accused inmate is found guilty of a "major offense." Section DOC 333.08(3). "Major penalty" includes placement in a Type 1 prison or jail. Section DOC 333.03(7). We *178

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Related

State Ex Rel. Ludtke v. Department of Corrections
572 N.W.2d 864 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1997)

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565 N.W.2d 174, 210 Wis. 2d 172, 1997 Wisc. App. LEXIS 388, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-grosse-wisctapp-1997.