Bifurcated sentences; use of guidelines; consideration of aggravating and mitigating factors
Wis. Stat. § 973.017
in effect(1) Definition. In this section, “sentencing decision” means a decision as to whether to impose a bifurcated sentence under s. 973.01 or place a person on probation and a decision as to the length of a bifurcated sentence, including the length of each component of the bifurcated sentence, the amount of a fine, and the length of a term of probation.
(2) General requirement. When a court makes a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of a criminal offense committed on or after February 1, 2003, the court shall consider all of the following:
(ad) The protection of the public.
(ag) The gravity of the offense.
(ak) The rehabilitative needs of the defendant.
(b) Any applicable mitigating factors and any applicable aggravating factors, including the aggravating factors specified in subs. (3) to (8).
(3) Aggravating factors; generally. When making a sentencing decision for any crime, the court shall consider all of the following as aggravating factors:
(a) The fact that the person committed the crime while his or her usual appearance was concealed, disguised, or altered, with the intent to make it less likely that he or she would be identified with the crime.
(b) The fact that the person committed the crime using information that was disclosed to him or her under s. 301.46.
(c) The fact that the person committed the crime for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal gang, as defined in s. 939.22 (9), with the specific intent to promote, further, or assist in any criminal conduct by criminal gang members, as defined in s. 939.22 (9g).
(d) The fact that the person committed the felony while wearing a vest or other garment designed, redesigned, or adapted to prevent bullets from penetrating the garment.
(e)
1. Subject to subd. 2., the fact that the person committed the felony with the intent to influence the policy of a governmental unit or to punish a governmental unit for a prior policy decision, if any of the following circumstances also applies to the felony committed by the person:
a. The person caused bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death to another.
b. The person caused damage to the property of another and the total property damaged is reduced in value by $25,000 or more. For the purposes of this subd. 1. b., property is reduced in value by the amount that it would cost either to repair or to replace it, whichever is less.
c. The person used force or violence or the threat of force or violence.
2.
a. In this subdivision, “labor dispute” includes any controversy concerning terms, tenure, or conditions of employment or concerning the association or representation of persons in negotiating, fixing, maintaining, changing, or seeking to arrange terms or conditions of employment, regardless of whether the disputants stand in the proximate relation of employer and employee.
b. Subdivision 1. does not apply to conduct arising out of or in connection with a labor dispute.
(4) Aggravating factors; serious sex crimes committed while infected with certain diseases.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “HIV” means any strain of human immunodeficiency virus, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
1m. “HIV test” has the meaning given in s. 252.01 (2m).
2. “Serious sex crime” means a violation of s. 940.225 (1) or (2), 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.085.
3. “Sexually transmitted disease” means syphilis, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or chlamydia.
4. “Significantly exposed” means sustaining a contact that carries a potential for transmission of a sexually transmitted disease or HIV by one or more of the following:
a. Transmission, into a body orifice or onto mucous membrane, of blood; semen; vaginal secretions; cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, or amniotic fluid; or other body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood.
b. Exchange, during the accidental or intentional infliction of a penetrating wound, including a needle puncture, of blood; semen; vaginal secretions; cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, or amniotic fluid; or other body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood.
c. Exchange, into an eye, an open wound, an oozing lesion, or other place where a significant breakdown in the epidermal barrier has occurred, of blood; semen; vaginal secretions; cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, or amniotic fluid; or other body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood.
(b) When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of a serious sex crime, the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the serious sex crime was committed under all of the following circumstances:
1. At the time that he or she committed the serious sex crime, the person convicted of committing the serious sex crime had a sexually transmitted disease or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or had had a positive HIV test.
2. At the time that he or she committed the serious sex crime, the person convicted of committing the serious sex crime knew that he or she had a sexually transmitted disease or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or that he or she had had a positive HIV test.
3. The victim of the serious sex crime was significantly exposed to HIV or to the sexually transmitted disease, whichever is applicable, by the acts constituting the serious sex crime.
(5) Aggravating factors; violent felony committed against elder person.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Elder person” means any individual who is 62 years of age or older.
2. “Violent felony” means any felony under s. 940.225 (1), (2), or (3), 940.23, 940.60 (2) or (3), or 943.32 or s. 940.19 (2), 2023 stats., s. 940.19 (4), 2023 stats., s. 940.19 (5), 2023 stats., or s. 940.19 (6), 2023 stats.
(b) When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of a violent felony, the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the victim of the violent felony was an elder person. This paragraph applies even if the person mistakenly believed that the victim had not attained the age of 62 years.
(6) Aggravating factors; child sexual assault or child abuse by certain persons.
(a) In this subsection, “person responsible for the welfare of the child” includes the child’s parent, stepparent, guardian, or foster parent; an employee of a public or private residential home, institution, or agency; any other person legally responsible for the child’s welfare in a residential setting; or a person employed by one who is legally responsible for the child’s welfare to exercise temporary control or care for the child.
(b) When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of a violation of s. 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025 (1), 948.03 (2), (3), or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., or 948.051, the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the person was a person responsible for the welfare of the child who was the victim of the violation.
(6m) Aggravating factors; domestic abuse in presence of a child.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Child” means an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years.
2. “Domestic abuse” has the meaning given in s. 968.075 (1) (a).
(b) When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of a crime that involves an act of domestic abuse, the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the act was committed in a place or a manner in which the act was observable by or audible to a child or was in the presence of a child and the actor knew or had reason to know that the act was observable by or audible to a child or was in the presence of a child.
(7) Aggravating factors; homicide or injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle. When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of a violation of s. 940.09 (1) or 940.25 (1), the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that, at the time of the violation, there was a minor passenger under 16 years of age or an unborn child in the person’s motor vehicle.
(8) Aggravating factors; controlled substances offenses.
(a) Distribution or delivery to prisoners.
1. In this paragraph, “precinct” means a place where any activity is conducted by a prison, jail, or house of correction.
2. When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of violating s. 961.41 (1) or (1m), the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the violation involved delivering, distributing, or possessing with intent to deliver or distribute a controlled substance or controlled substance analog to a prisoner within the precincts of any prison, jail, or house of correction.
3. When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of violating s. 961.65, the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the person intended to deliver or distribute methamphetamine or a controlled substance analog of methamphetamine to a prisoner within the precincts of any prison, jail, or house of correction.
(b) Distribution or delivery on public transit vehicles. When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of violating s. 961.41 (1) or (1m), the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the violation involved delivering, distributing, or possessing with intent to deliver or distribute a controlled substance included in schedule I or II or a controlled substance analog of any controlled substance included in schedule I or II and that the person knowingly used a public transit vehicle during the violation.
(c) Distribution or delivery of methamphetamine on public transit vehicles. When making a sentencing decision concerning a person convicted of violating s. 961.65, the court shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that the person intended to deliver or distribute methamphetamine or a controlled substance analog of methamphetamine and that the person knowingly used a public transit vehicle during the violation.
(9) Aggravating factors not an element of the crime. The aggravating factors listed in this section are not elements of any crime. A prosecutor is not required to charge any aggravating factor or otherwise allege the existence of an aggravating factor in any pleading for a court to consider the aggravating factor when making a sentencing decision.
(10m) Statement of reasons for sentencing decision.
(a) The court shall state the reasons for its sentencing decision and, except as provided in par. (b), shall do so in open court and on the record.
(b) If the court determines that it is not in the interest of the defendant for it to state the reasons for its sentencing decision in the defendant’s presence, the court shall state the reasons for its sentencing decision in writing and include the written statement in the record.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/973.017Fetched: 10/7/2026