Understanding the Penalties for Violent Crime Convictions in Wisconsin

 Posted on January 11, 2021 in Violent crimes

Each year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) collects statistical information about various types of crimes and publishes a summarizing report about crime in the United States. Violent crime in particular has decreased significantly across the United States as a whole over the past 20 years or so. However, violent crime still remains an issue across the country. According to the latest data available from the FBI, Wisconsin reported more than 17,000 occurrences of violent crime throughout the state in 2019. Wisconsin takes violent criminal offenses, such as murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and robbery, very seriously and convictions for any of those could result in severe sentences.

Violent Crime in Wisconsin

When the FBI collects crime data, they group the data into different categories with one of them being by offense type. In its yearly statistic report, the four crimes that are included under violent crimes are murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and robbery.

• Murder: Like most states, Wisconsin classifies murder into different degrees and charges, depending on the circumstances surrounding the event. For example, first-degree intentional homicide is charged as a Class A felony, which carries a sentence of life imprisonment. In comparison, first-degree reckless homicide, which is a slightly less serious crime, is charged as either a Class B or Class C felony, which carries up to 60 years in prison and up to 40 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines, respectively.

• Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is another type of crime that is classified in degrees depending on the circumstances of the situation. These degrees range from first-degree sexual assault to fourth-degree sexual assault and can be charged as anything from a Class B felony, which carries up to 60 years in prison to a Class A misdemeanor, which carries up to nine months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines.

• Robbery: Robbery occurs when a person takes or carries away another person’s property from his or her physical person by using force or threatening to use force. A robbery conviction in Wisconsin can be charged as a Class E felony up to a Class C felony. These charges carry sentences of up to 15 years in prison and up to $50,000 in fines and up to 40 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines, respectively.

Contact Our Waukesha County Criminal Defense Attorneys

Being charged with any crime can be an unfortunate and life-changing experience, but being charged with and convicted of a violent crime can mean a lifelong prison sentence in some cases. At Bucher, Wolff & Sonderhouse, LLP, we will thoroughly review your case and build a solid defense strategy to protect your rights and your future. To schedule a free consultation with our seasoned Brookfield violent crimes defense lawyer, call our office today at 262-232-6699. We answer our phones 24/7.

Sources:

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/tables/table-5

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/943/iii/32

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/940/ii/225

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/940/i/01