Marquette Law School – Page 148 – Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog

Wisconsinites Like Truth-in-Sentencing . . . Sort Of

Post author:Michael M. O'Hear
Post published:July 17, 2012
Post category:Criminal Law & Process Marquette Law School Political Processes & Rhetoric Public Wisconsin Criminal Law & Process

The latest edition of the Marquette University Law School Poll includes some interesting data on sentencing policy. I’m grateful to Professor Charles Franklin for collaborating with me in putting the questions together. The results are here (note that the sentencing questions start at Q25a).

The primary purpose of the questions was to determine the attitudes of Wisconsinites toward truth-in-sentencing, which was adopted by the state legislature in 1998. The questions are timely in light of recent political debates over new early release opportunities for prison inmates, which were embraced by the legislature in 2009, but then repealed two years later. Early release undercuts truth-in-sentencing by introducing uncertainty into the actual date that inmates will be released. Indeed, critics of the 2009 reforms complained — in what was probably a bit of an overstatement — that the new early release mechanisms “gutted” truth-in-sentencing.

At first blush, the new poll seems to provide strong support for the 2011 repeal and the return to a purer form of truth-in-sentencing: a decisive 63% majority agreed that “truth in sentencing should continue to be the law in Wisconsin.” (25c) Moreover, only 27% agreed that “many of the people who are locked up in prison do not deserve to be there,” and only 37% agreed that “many of the people who are locked up in prison could be safely released without endangering the community.” (27d, e)

But the story is a little more complicated than might first appear.

Milwaukee’s Future in the Chicago Megacity

Post author:Joseph D. Kearney
Post published:July 10, 2012
Post category:Marquette Law School Milwaukee Public

Marquette University Law School and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will host a conference next week. The conference title—“Milwaukee’s Future in the Chicago Megacity”—reflects that Chicago is one of the world’s emerging “megacities”; for example, it is ranked No. 6 in Foreign Policy magazine’s Global Cities Index (behind only New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong). An expansive new report by the international Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development argues that closer ties between the Milwaukee region and Chicagoland are of singular importance. At our conference, various panels, involving business leaders, elected officials, and public policy analysts, will assess that argument, with a general eye to these central questions: how closely should the Milwaukee region connect its future to Chicago, and how might that be accomplished through public policy and business might?

New Poll Results: Thompson Leads in US Senate Race

Post author:Alan J. Borsuk
Post published:June 20, 2012
Post category:Marquette Law School Political Processes & Rhetoric Public

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson leads three other candidates in the race for the Republican nomination for the US Senate seat open in Wisconsin this year, according to results of the Marquette Law School Poll released on Wednesday. Thompson also drew more support than Democratic candidate Tammy Baldwin in a head-to-head trail heat.

But a quarter of people who said they plan to vote in the Aug. 14 Republican primary said they were undecided or didn’t know whom they would support, indicating that there is potential for substantial change before the election.

Among people who said they intended to vote in the Republican primary, 34% said they backed Thompson, with 16% supporting former Congressman Mark Neumann, 14% for Madison businessman Eric Hovde, and 10% for Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald.

In a Thompson-Baldwin match, Thompson was the choice of 49% of people in the poll, with Baldwin, a Democratic member of Congress from Madison, drawing 41%. In other head-to-head matches, Baldwin and Neumann tied at 44% each, and Baldwin led both Fitzgerald (45% to 39%) and Hovde (45% to 36%).

In an “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” session at Eckstein Hall, Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said that if it hadn’t been for the recall election for governor on June 5, the Senate race would have been one of the most fascinating elections in recent state politics. But the race drew little attention until now.

In another poll result, Democratic President Barack Obama was supported by 49% of likely voters in the November election, with Republican candidate Mitt Romney supported by 43%. In late May, the poll found Obama ahead 51% to 43%.

Full results of the poll may be found by clicking here. The conversation about poll results between Gousha, the Law School’s distinguished fellow in law and public policy, and Franklin, visiting professor in law and public policy, may be found by clicking here.