Increased penalty for habitual criminality
Wis. Stat. § 939.62
in effect(1) If the actor is a repeater, as that term is defined in sub. (2), and the present conviction is for any crime for which imprisonment may be imposed, except for an escape under s. 946.42 or a failure to report under s. 946.425, the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed by law for that crime may be increased as follows:
(a) A maximum term of imprisonment of one year or less may be increased to not more than 2 years.
(b) A maximum term of imprisonment of more than one year but not more than 10 years may be increased by not more than 2 years if the prior convictions were for misdemeanors and by not more than 4 years if the prior conviction was for a felony.
(c) A maximum term of imprisonment of more than 10 years may be increased by not more than 2 years if the prior convictions were for misdemeanors and by not more than 6 years if the prior conviction was for a felony.
(2) The actor is a repeater if the actor was convicted of a felony during the 5-year period immediately preceding the commission of the crime for which the actor presently is being sentenced, or if the actor was convicted of a misdemeanor on 3 separate occasions during that same period, which convictions remain of record and unreversed. It is immaterial that sentence was stayed, withheld or suspended, or that the actor was pardoned, unless such pardon was granted on the ground of innocence. In computing the preceding 5-year period, time which the actor spent in actual confinement serving a criminal sentence shall be excluded.
(2m)
(a) In this subsection:
1m. “Serious child sex offense” means any of the following:
a. A violation of s. 948.02, 948.025, 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.06, 948.07, 948.072, 948.08, 948.081, 948.085, 948.095 or 948.30 or, if the victim was a minor and the convicted person was not the victim’s parent, a violation of s. 940.31.
b. A crime at any time under federal law or the law of any other state or, prior to July 16, 1998, under the law of this state that is comparable to a crime specified in subd. 1m. a.
2m. “Serious felony” means any of the following:
a. Any felony under s. 961.41 (1), (1m) or (1x) that is a Class A, B, or C felony or, if the felony was committed before February 1, 2003, that is or was punishable by a maximum prison term of 30 years or more.
am. A crime under s. 961.65.
b. Any felony under s. 940.09 (1), 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1m) or (1r), 1999 stats., s. 948.35 (1) (b) or (c), 1999 stats., s. 948.36, 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1g), 2021 stats., s. 940.19 (5), 2023 stats., s. 940.195 (5), 2023 stats., s. 940.198 (2) (a), 2023 stats., or s. 940.198 (2) (c), 2023 stats., or s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.09 (1c), 940.16, 940.21, 940.225 (1) or (2), 940.305, 940.31, 940.60 (3) (b), 940.65 (3) (b), 940.66 (2) (a) or (c), 941.327 (2) (b) 4., 943.02, 943.10 (2), 943.231 (1), 943.32 (2), 946.43 (1m), 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03 (2) (a) or (c) or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., 948.05, 948.06, 948.07, 948.072, 948.075, 948.08, 948.081, 948.085, or 948.30 (2).
c. The solicitation, conspiracy or attempt, under s. 939.30, 939.31 or 939.32, to commit a Class A felony.
d. A crime at any time under federal law or the law of any other state or, prior to April 28, 1994, under the law of this state that is comparable to a crime specified in subd. 2m. a., am., b., or c.
(b) The actor is a persistent repeater if one of the following applies:
1. The actor has been convicted of a serious felony on 2 or more separate occasions at any time preceding the serious felony for which he or she presently is being sentenced under ch. 973, which convictions remain of record and unreversed and, of the 2 or more previous convictions, at least one conviction occurred before the date of violation of at least one of the other felonies for which the actor was previously convicted.
2. The actor has been convicted of a serious child sex offense on at least one occasion at any time preceding the date of violation of the serious child sex offense for which he or she presently is being sentenced under ch. 973, which conviction remains of record and unreversed.
(bm) For purposes of counting a conviction under par. (b), it is immaterial that the sentence for the previous conviction was stayed, withheld or suspended, or that the actor was pardoned, unless the pardon was granted on the ground of innocence.
(c) If the actor is a persistent repeater, the term of imprisonment for the felony for which the persistent repeater presently is being sentenced under ch. 973 is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or extended supervision.
(d) If a prior conviction is being considered as being covered under par. (a) 1m. b. or 2m. d. as comparable to a felony specified under par. (a) 1m. a. or 2m. a., am., b., or c., the conviction may be counted as a prior conviction under par. (b) only if the court determines, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the violation relating to that conviction would constitute a felony specified under par. (a) 1m. a. or 2m. a., am., b., or c. if committed by an adult in this state.
(3) In this section “felony” and “misdemeanor” have the following meanings:
(a) In case of crimes committed in this state, the terms do not include motor vehicle offenses under chs. 341 to 349 and offenses handled through proceedings in the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938, but otherwise have the meanings designated in s. 939.60.
(b) In case of crimes committed in other jurisdictions, the terms do not include those crimes which are equivalent to motor vehicle offenses under chs. 341 to 349 or to offenses handled through proceedings in the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938. Otherwise, felony means a crime which under the laws of that jurisdiction carries a prescribed maximum penalty of imprisonment in a prison or penitentiary for one year or more. Misdemeanor means a crime which does not carry a prescribed maximum penalty sufficient to constitute it a felony and includes crimes punishable only by a fine.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/939.62Fetched: 10/7/2026