Incest-increase in penalties.

06LSO-0398.L1

FISCAL NOTE

Unknown fiscal impact due to unknown sentencing under the proposed legislation.

Source of Expenditure Increase:

An increase in the maximum sentence will likely have little impact in the short term. However, if judges increase the length of sentences under the proposed legislation, the cost over time could be substantial.

For each year of increased sentence, each inmate costs the State approximately $32,000 in current dollars. In addition to the cost of incarceration, consideration could be given to the impact on the availability of prison beds. Increasing the length of stay reduces the number of prison beds available. To build additional prison beds in Wyoming costs approximately $100,000 per bed.

There are currently 20 inmates serving sentences under W.S. 6-4-402. Approximately 85% of them are sentenced to a maximum of 5 years, the greatest length of time allowed under current law. Approximately 30% of them are sentenced to a minimum of 4 years, with the remainder sentenced to minimums less than that.

Assumptions:

If the trend of sentencing to the greatest extent allowed by law continues, the long term cost will be significant.

Prepared by:   Brian Farmer, Dept. of Corrections      Phone:   777-5983

The fiscal impact to the judicial system is indeterminable due to an unknown number of cases.

Prepared by:   Holly Hansen, Supreme Court Phone:   777-7678