Opinion ID: 2516373
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Ex Post FactoViolation

Text: ¶ 26 An ex post facto law is one that increases the punishment or aggravates any crime previously committed. State v. Beltran, 170 Ariz. 406, 407, 825 P.2d 27, 28 (App.1992). The United States Constitution and the Arizona Constitution prohibit ex post facto laws. U.S. Const. art. I, § 9; Ariz. Const. art. II, § 25. Zuther urges us to apply the reasoning of Beltran and hold that the change in the way Arizona funds its prisoners' gate money is additional punishment. We find that it is not. ¶ 27 In matters like these, we have adopted the Supreme Court's distinction by stating, If the legislative aim was punitive, we treat the [statutory] requirement as punishment. If on the other hand, the legislature indicated a non-punitive purpose, we must `inquire further whether the statutory scheme was so punitive either in purpose or effect as to negate that intention.' State v. Noble, 171 Ariz. 171, 175, 829 P.2d 1217, 1221 (1992) (quoting United States v. Ward, 448 U.S. 242, 248-49, 100 S.Ct. 2636, 65 L.Ed.2d 742 (1980)). Here, the gate money amendments are not criminal statutes; they are contained in Title 31, chapter 2, article 2 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which regulates ADOC's relationship with inmates. Nor are these statutes even remotely punitive. The new statutes do nothing more than assure implementation of the state's public welfare motive previously envisioned under the old scheme. The statutory changes do not affect a prisoner's custody status or impose any new fine or penalty. In the absence of a clearly punitive effect or purpose, the ex post facto argument must fail.