BUDGET PLAN: INMATES MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EARLY RELEASE

More prison inmates could be eligible for early release under the
state's "truth in sentencing" law, which was intended to make
criminals serve their entire sentence behind bars, if lawmakers
approve Gov. Jim Doyle's proposed budget.

The document includes a provision that would allow the state Parole
Commission to review inmates' petitions for early release under the
decade-old sentencing law. The sentencing provision and other
surprises came to light Tuesday with the release of the Legislative
Fiscal Bureau's analysis of Doyle's 1,700-page budget, which he
introduced in February.

Inclusion in the budget doesn't automatically make the sentencing
provision or any of the other new policy items law. The
budget-writing Joint Finance Committee will mark the start of
legislative action on the budget with a series of public hearings
later this month, but the governor's extensive veto powers give him a
powerful hand in shaping the final document.

Truth in sentencing was enacted in 1997 in an effort to abolish
parole and early release and give crime victims more certainty that
criminals would serve their entire sentences behind bars.

But an amendment approved in 2002 allows inmates to petition trial
judges in their cases for early release from prison. Corrections
officials say only a fraction of all inmates file such petitions.

The law allows for inmates convicted of less serious felonies like
property crimes and drug offenses to petition for early release after
serving at least 75 percent of their prison sentence, and for inmates
convicted of more serious, usually violent, crimes to seek early
release after serving at least 85 percent of their sentence.

Doyle's budget provision would apply only to those sentenced for less
serious felonies.

Corrections Secretary Matt Frank said the proposal is intended to
streamline the early release process.

He acknowledged that if lawmakers approve the change, "there could be
more petitions granted because the current mechanism with the judges
is not a very efficient process. With the commission, there could be
more (approvals), but that would have to be decided by the commission."

The department's budget anticipates that more inmates will be
released and that the state would save at least $464,900 beginning in
2008, when the proposed changes would take effect.

Doyle's budget also includes other changes to truth in sentencing,
which prison officials said has driven up costs by increasing the
time inmates spend in prison.

The budget would extend the life of the state Sentencing Commission,
which was set to expire later this year. The commission would develop
guidelines for judges to use in sentencing criminals and report back
to lawmakers by 2008.

The commission has been meeting since 2003, "but they've been unable
to come to a consensus on permanent guidelines" for the judges to
use, Frank said. "It's very important that we have consistent
guidelines available to judges at the time of sentencing."

The governor's budget would also establish a new Bureau of Criminal
Justice Research within the Department of Administration to study
issues related to crime and punishment. Wisconsin has one of the
highest rates of incarceration in the nation and the highest rate of
incarceration for African-Americans.

Doyle would also establish a $750,000 grant to help the county with
the highest crime rate in the state, most likely Milwaukee County, to
prevent further crime.

And Doyle would give $1 million to fund legal advice to poor people
who can't afford it in civil cases, such as lawsuits. Currently, poor
people are eligible for legal help in criminal cases, but not in civil cases.