Opinion ID: 1922750
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: May the good time accumulated by an individual being treated under the Sex Crimes Act be forfeited upon revocation of parole?

Text: The question of whether or not the good time earned by a person committed under the Sex Crimes Act can be forfeited is strictly one of statutory interpretation. Accordingly, a threshold question to be determined here is what statutes are to be applied. The public defender correctly contends that the statute as it existed prior to the 1969 revision (sec. 959.15(12), Stats. 1967) [3] applies. The general section of the completely revised Criminal Procedure Code, 1969, sec. 967.01, Stats., states that the new provisions apply only to prosecutions commenced after July 1, 1970, and that [p]rosecutions commenced prior to July 1, 1970, shall be governed by the law existing prior thereto.
The 1967 statute ( see footnote 3, supra, sec. 959.15 (12) ) provides that a determination of the maximum term shall be subject to the provisions of sec. 53.11, Stats. This section has eight subsections. Sub. (1) [4] authorizes the accumulation of good time, while subs. (2) and (2a) authorize the forfeiture of good time. [5] The meaning of sec. 959.15(12), Stats. 1967, is clear. The statute is plain and unambiguous; no legislative intent to the contrary of this plain meaning has been shown. Under such circumstances, [6] standard rules of statutory interpretation leave no other result than that subject to the provisions of s. 53.11 means subject to all of sec. 53.11. Thus individuals committed under the Sex Crimes Act before July 1, 1970, are subject to the complete provisions of sec. 53.11 and may, in accordance with sec. 53.11(2) and (2a) have their good time forfeited.