Opinion ID: 1307092
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Question of overbreadth.

Text: Statutes which are unconstitutionally vague often suffer also from the defect of overbreadth. While a statute may often be found both vague and overbroad at the same time, nevertheless the two concepts are distinct. A statute is too vague when it fails to give fair notice of what it prohibits. It is overbroad when its language, given its normal meaning, is so broad that its sanctions may apply to conduct which the state is not entitled to regulate. The fourteenth amendment of the United States Constitution protects persons from incursions by the state into certain areas of their life, and an overbroad statute is constitutionally defective if it extends state criminal authority beyond the proper reach of government into one of these protected private areas. Scott v. District Attorney, supra . Sec. 947.02 (2), Stats., fails to define with precision the distinction between criminal and noncriminal conduct and thus may be used to criminalize conduct which is beyond the legitimate reach of the state's police power. Lazarus v. Faircloth (S. D. C. Fla. 1969), 301 Fed. Supp. 266. A literal reading of sec. 947.02 (2), Stats., indicates that it affects persons whom the legislature did not intend to reach. It is difficult to conceive of a situation in which a person is not in or . . . near any structure, vehicle or private grounds. The requirement of making an account to some unspecified person is obviously offensive. Sightseers, window-shoppers and persons merely taking a walk come within the clear wording of the statute, yet no one could reasonably argue that the state has the constitutional authority to compel such a result. Sec. 947.02 (2), in attempting to proscribe certain conduct proscribes conduct which is beyond the reach of the criminal law under the United States Constitution. The state finally argues that this court cannot consider the possible misuse to which this statute, because of its broad wording, could be put. This court, according to the state's argument, must restrict its examination of the statute to the facts of the case. This court repudiated the state's position and recognized the exception to the rule in State v. Zwicker, supra, at page 509, where we acknowledged the propriety of considering other possible applications of a statute in these words: We are of the opinion that the statute under consideration is not overly broad. We are cognizant of the fact that the statute must be viewed with the consideration of whether it could be possibly applied so as to offend the constitutional requirement that a governmental purpose to control or prevent activities constitutionally subject to state regulation may not be achieved by means which sweep unnecessarily broadly and thereby invade the area of protected freedoms. . . . (Emphasis supplied.) The same rule is found in Aptheker v. Secretary of State (1964), 378 U. S. 500, 516, 84 Sup. Ct. 1659, 12 L. Ed. 2d 992: `[I]n appraising a statute's inhibitory effect upon such rights, this Court has not hesitated to take into account possible applications of the statute in other factual contexts besides that at bar. Thornhill v. Alabama, 310 U. S. 88, 97-98; Winters v. New York, [333 U. S. 507], 518-520. Cf. Staub v. City of Baxley, 355 U. S. 313. . . .' We conclude that the language of sec. 947.02 (2), Stats., is so vague and overly broad that it is unconstitutional on its face. We do not reach the remaining issue of the sufficiency of the evidence because of our ruling on the constitutional question. We note that in many cases where similar statutes have been held invalid, the courts have suggested to the legislatures that they adopt a more palatable version of the loitering statute, such as sec. 250.6 of the Model Penal Code, American Law Institute (Proposed Official Draft, 1962), at page 226: Loitering or Prowling. A person commits a violation if he loiters or prowls in a place, at a time, or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals under circumstances that warrant alarm for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such alarm is warranted is the fact that the actor takes flight upon appearance of a peace officer, refuses to identify himself, or manifestly endeavors to conceal himself or any object. Unless flight by the actor or other circumstances makes it impracticable, a peace officer shall prior to any arrest for an offense under this section afford the actor an opportunity to dispel any alarm which would otherwise be warranted, by requesting him to identify himself and explain his presence and conduct. No person shall be convicted of an offense under this Section if the peace officer did not comply with the preceding sentence, or if it appears at trial that the explanation given by the actor was true and, if believed by the peace officer at the time, would have dispelled the alarm. By the Court. Judgment reversed. The cause is remanded with directions to dismiss the complaint.