"The 1995 NCCD National Prison Population Forecast: The Cost of Truth-in-Sentencing Law." James Austin and Michael A. Jones, National Council on Crime and Delinquency, NCCD Focus, July 1995. (365.4/N211) In 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice noted that prison admissions had gone down but prison populations had gone dramatically up since 1990. This report shows that prison populations will continue to increase due to truth-in-sentencing and three-strikes laws by comparing 23 states that employ NCCD's forecast methodology.

1996 National Survey of State Sentencing Structures. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998. (365.4/X26) Published in 1998, this document examines various sentencing practices in the states including truth-in-sentencing. This study is a follow-up to a study conducted in 1994.

Criminal Penalties Study Committee Final Report, Thomas H. Barland, Wisconsin Criminal Penalties Study Committee, 1999. (365.4/W7h) The committee was directed to study changes made by 1997 Wisconsin Act 283 and make recommendations for a sentencing guideline system. A large document, including dissenting statements and complete text of proposed legislation, it is also available on the Internet at http://www.doa.state.wi.us/ in three parts.

The Federal Crime Bill: What Will It Mean for California? Clifton Curry, California Legislative Analyst Office, September 27, 1994. (346.8/C1); and LAO Analysis of the 1996-97 Budget Bill, Judiciary and Criminal Justice CrossCutting Issues: Federal Crime Bill Funding for California. California Legislative Analyst Office, 1996. (346.8/C1a) California was one of the first states to adopt truth-in-sentencing legislation after the 1994 federal crime bill. These two analyses evaluate the impact of the 1994 crime bill on California and include recommendations to the legislature.

New Law Relating to Truth in Sentencing: Sentence Structure for Felony Offenses, Extended Supervision, Criminal Penalties Study Committee and Increased Penalties for Felony Offenses (1997 Wisconsin Act 283). Wisconsin Legislative Council, June 24, 1998. (365.4/W7d1) Summarizes the effect of 1997 Wisconsin Act 283 on felony offenses and the creation of extended supervision and a Criminal Penalties Study Committee. Includes comparisons of current felony penalties to proposed penalties in and outside of the criminal code.

"The Non-Prison Side of Truth in Sentencing: Preadjudication Services and Community Corrections in Oklahoma." Michael Connelly, Melissa McLawhorn, and Paul O'Connell, American Probation and Parole Association, Perspectives, Winter 1997. (365.4/C76) The focus of the truth-in-sentencing legislation has been violent offenders. What happens to nonviolent first- or second-time offenders as prison populations grow? The article addresses Oklahoma's answer to this question.

Sentencing Reform in Southern States: A Review of Truth in Sentencing and Three-Strikes Measures. Todd Edwards, Council of State Governments' Southern Legislative Conference, August 1999. (365.4/C83d) Focuses on the 16 states in the Southern Legislative Conference that have passed some form of get-tough-on-crime legislation including truth-in-sentencing. The report summarizes the states' efforts and reviews arguments for and against, but it does not evaluate effectiveness or assess implications of the laws.

The Truth About Sentencing in Wisconsin: Plea Bargaining, Punishment and the Public Interest. David Dodenhoff and George A. Mitchell, Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, Incorporated, March 1998. (365.4/W751) Analyzes the felony sentences of a representative sample of Milwaukee County defendants. Addresses several issues in current discussions on truth-in-sentencing but does not specifically examine the impact it might have on sentence length or prison population.

"The Truth About Truth in Sentencing." Marc Mauer, Corrections Today, February 1996. (365.4/M44) Somewhat dated but a good overall description of the concept of truth-in-sentencing, the federal guidelines and policy goals, and assessment of the impact of truth-in-sentencing legislation.

Truth-in-Sentencing. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, June 1998. (365.4/W7g1) A brief overview of 1997 Wisconsin Act 283, popularly called the truth-in-sentencing law.

Truth in Sentencing: Availability of Federal Grants Influenced Laws in Some States. U.S. General Accounting Office, February 1998. (365.4/X12) The 1994 Crime Act authorized federal TIS (truth-in-sentencing) incentive grants to states for building or expanding correctional facilities and jails. Grants are awarded to states with laws requiring violent crime offenders to serve at least 85% of their sentence. This study was requested to determine how much influence the incentive grant had in passing truth-in-sentencing legislation.

Truth-in-Sentencing in State Prisons. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, January 1999. (365.4/X25) Compares truth-in-sentencing efforts among the states in the 1990s with references to other sentencing reforms of the 1970s and 1980s. Statistical tables and graphs are used to illustrate the comparisons.

w Criminal law: 346.8/Z

w Parole and probation: good time credit; pre-release and furlough programs; halfway houses and community-based correctional facilities; house arrest and electronic monitoring devices; intensive sanctions: 365.45/W7z (Wisconsin); 365.45/Z (United States)

w Sentences; pretrial diversion; deferred sentencing: 365.4/W7z (Wisconsin); 365.4/Z (United States)

w Wisconsin criminal code: 346.8/W7z

http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/billtext/acts/97acts.html - Text of 1997 Wisconsin Act 283 available at this site.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ - U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Collects, analyzes, publishes, and disseminates information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government.

http://www.ncjrs.org/ - National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Justice Information Center. The center is sponsored by several federal agencies including Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, and Office of Justice programs.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/ - National Institute of Justice. The research and development branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.

http://www.sentencingproject.org/ - The Sentencing Project. An independent source of criminal justice policy analysis, data, and program information for the public and policy-makers.