Title: Wisconsin. Legislature. Legislative Council. Criminal Code Advisory Committee: Records
Inclusive Dates: 1946-1962

Creator:

• Wisconsin. Legislature. Legislative Council. Criminal Code Advisory Committee

Call Number: Series 1722; Disc 225A

Quantity: 4.8 c.f. (4 record center cartons and 2 archives boxes), 4 disc recordings and 2 reels of microfilm [35mm]

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Minutes, agendas, annotated drafts of reports, revision files, notes, bibliographies, indexes and working files of Orrin Helstad, an advisor to the committee and member of the technical staff on the proposed revision of the Criminal Code. The four Audograph Soundwriter discs are the February 12, 1954 meeting for which there are no minutes. Additional files of William Platz, an assistant attorney general and member of the Advisory Committee, include correspondence and drafts of the revision to the criminal jury instructions.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-ser01722

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Because the criminal code of Wisconsin had undergone no major revision since Wisconsin became a state in 1948, in 1951 the Criminal Code Advisory Committee of the Legislative Council's Judiciary Committee was created by means of Joint Resolution 97A. This committee was created in order to prepare a new criminal code to be submitted to the Legislature in the form of a bill. The committee expressed six objectives in their project: 1) Modernization, 2) Simplification, 3) Codification, 4) Systematic organization, 5) More effective administration, and 6) Protection of the rights of defendants. The final product of the committee's work was AB 100 which became Chapter 623, Laws of 1953.

In accordance with section 282 of this act, the criminal code was published in the 1953 session laws and in the 1953 statutes, but it was not to take effect until 1955. In addition, on the recommendation of the Criminal Code Advisory Committee, the Legislative Council was directed to submit bills to the 1955 Legislature to amend this act. The criminal code can be found in the 1955 statutes under Chapter 900.

The files of the Criminal Code Advisory Committee consist of minutes, correspondence, early files, bibliographies, general files, working files of Orrin Helstad and William Platz, and numerous drafts and revisions of committee reports. There is good documentation on the legal theory and philosophy behind the revision in the form of the committee minutes, as well as detailed material on the procedure followed by the technical staff and the drafting and editing of the various reports and recommendations. The bulk of the series consists of the actual revisions filed as chapter files and annotated draft copies of various reports. The chapter files are arranged numerically according to the chapter number of the 1953 code. The numbers on the papers within these files do not necessarily correspond to the chapter number of the 1953 code due to the many revisions. Published copies of the reports are available in the Government Documents section of the Society's Library.

The correspondence in the Helstad portion of the collection, which is scattered, dates from 1950 to 1955, predating the creation of the committee and continuing throughout its existence. The Platz correspondence is collected in chronological files dating from 1941 to 1958, and also reflects involvement in the revision process prior to the creation of the committee. Under the heading “general files” are early documents that appear to have been compiled as part of an early attempt at revision of the criminal code prior to 1946. Orrin Helstad, an advisor for the committee and a member of the technical staff responsible for the revision, retained a working file consisting of material on technical aspects of the code. The collection also includes drafts and annotated material on the 1959 to 1962 revisions to the jury instructions for criminal cases from the files of William Platz. Also in the general files are notes, bibliographies, papers and written comments dealing with the committee's work.

Acquisition Information

Accession Number: M78-098, 1978/128, 1979/50

Processing Information

Additions processed by Carolyn J. Mattern, 1985 and 2001.

Series 1722	Agendas
Box   1 Folder   1	Advisory Committee on Rules, 1949
Box   1 Folder   2	Agendas, 1952
	Minutes
Box   1 Folder   3	Subcommittee on the Revision of the Criminal Code , 1950
Box   1 Folder   4	Judiciary Committee, 1950-1952
Box   1 Folder   5	State Bar Committee, 1951-1952
Box   1 Folder   6	Criminal Code Advisory Committee, 1953-1955
Box   1 Folder   7	Judiciary Committee hearing on 100A, 1953; Notes, , 1955
Disc 225A	February 12, 1954
Series 1722	Index to minutes by chapter citations, 1950-1953
Reel   1 Frame   1	339
Reel   1 Frame   219	340
Reel   1 Frame   341	341
Reel   1 Frame   342	400
Reel   1 Frame   343	423
Reel   1 Frame   344	508
Reel   1 Frame   345	561
Reel   1 Frame   346	593
Reel   1 Frame   347	706
Box   1 Folder   8	Index to minutes by chapter (939) citations, 1955
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   9-12	William Platz, 1941-1958
Box   1 Folder   13	William Platz, amendments needed, 1957
Box   1 Folder   14	General, 1950-1955
Box   1 Folder   15	Press releases and publicity, 1952-1953
	Reports
Box   1 Folder   16	External groups, 1941-1955
Box   1 Folder   17	Second draft, 1946
Box   1 Folder   18	Draft, 1948
Box   1 Folder   19	Legislative action, 1949-1953
Box   1 Folder   20	Preliminary report, Helstad draft, 1950
Box   1 Folder   21	Report, Platz annotations 1950
Box   1 Folder   22	Helstad revision, Chapter 339
Box   1 Folder   23	Code revision, Ch. 340, 341, 344 and 347, 1951
Box   1 Folder   24	Chapter 344 revisions, Platz annotations, 1951
Box   1 Folder   25	Chapter 345 revisions, Platz annotations, n.d.
Box   1 Folder   26	Supplement, Legislative Council Report, 1951
Box   1 Folder   27	First supplement to printed bill, 1951
Box   1 Folder   28	Annotations, April 195l
Box   1 Folder   29	Chapter 340, Helstad revision, April 1951
Box   1 Folder   30	Annotations (Ch. 341), February 1952
Box   1 Folder   31	Annotations (Ch. 347), August 1952
Box   1 Folder   32	Annotations (Ch. 339), October 1952
Box   1 Folder   33	Changes and status, 1952
Box   1 Folder   34	Chapters 341, 342, 344, 345 and 347, 1952
Box   1 Folder   35	Chapter 346, 1952
Box   1 Folder   36	Annotation (Ch. 346), October 1952
Box   1 Folder   37	Mimeograph supplements, 1952
Box   2 Folder   1	Supplement, 1952
Box   2 Folder   2	Status reports, 1952
Box   2 Folder   3-4	Report of the Committee, rough draft, 1953
Box   2 Folder   5	Miscellaneous reports, 1953
	Status Reports, 1955
Box   2 Folder   6-7	General
Box   2 Folder   8-16	Chapters 339-347
Box   2 Folder   17	Sections repealed and transferred, 1955
Box   2 Folder   18	Statute revisions, 1956
Box   2 Folder   19	Project report, preliminary (?), 1956b
Box   2 Folder   20	Article I revisions, Platz annotations, n.d.
Box   2 Folder   21	Memoranda, Extra-territorial effect of statutes, n.d.
Box   2 Folder   22	Memos, speeches and articles, William Platz, n.d.
Box   2 Folder   23	Statute revision notes, William Platz, n.d.
Box   2 Folder   24	Undated reports, n.d.
Box   2 Folder   25	Wisconsin Bar and the proposed criminal code, 1952-1955, n.d.
Box   2 Folder   26-27	General early files, prior to 1946 (?), n.d.
Box   2 Folder   28	Bibliographies, n.d.
	Notes on readings, n.d.
Reel   2 Frame   1	General provisions
Reel   2 Frame   37	Arrest
Reel   2 Frame   47	Arson
Reel   2 Frame   84	Authority of law
Reel   2 Frame   86	Burglary
Reel   2 Frame   159	Compulsion or coercion
Reel   2 Frame   179	Cruelty to animals
Reel   2 Frame   190	Crime, Concept of (Act, Causation, Consequences, Intent, and Negligence)
Reel   2 Frame   289	Damage to Property
Reel   2 Frame   369	Damage with intent to defraud
Reel   2 Frame   375	Damage, Simple destruction of property
Reel   2 Frame   455	Fines
Reel   2 Frame   460	Homocide
Reel   2 Frame   524	Infancy
Reel   2 Frame   530	Intoxication
Reel   2 Frame   542	Mixtake
Reel   2 Frame   551	Mistake of law
Reel   2 Frame   573	Necessity
Reel   2 Frame   579	Public health and safety, Crimes against
Reel   2 Frame   638	Robbery
Reel   2 Frame   700	Self defense
Reel   2 Frame   729	Trespass
Box   2 Folder   29	Orrin Helstad's working files on the 1953 revision
Box   3 Folder   1	Miscellaneous material concerning the 1955 revision
Box   3 Folder   2-3	, Undated and loose material
Box   3 Folder   4	Unlawful and coercive conduct background information
	Chapter files
Box   3 Folder   5	Miscellaneous chapters discussed in combination
	Chapter 339
Box   3 Folder   6	339.01 Name and effective date of code
Box   3 Folder   7	339.03 Jurisdiction of state over crime
Box   3 Folder   8	339.05 Parties to crime
Box   3 Folder   9	339.07 Criminal responsibility of corporations
Box   3 Folder   10	339.09 Liability based on omissions
Box   3 Folder   11	339.11 Common law crimes: abolished, crime defined
Box   3 Folder   12	339.13 Criminal conduct, contributory negligence
Box   3 Folder   13	339.15 Year-and-a-day rule abolished
Box   3 Folder   14	339.17 Civil remedies not affected
Box   3 Folder   15	339.20 Provisions which apply to criminal code
Box   3 Folder   16	339.21 General rules of construction
Box   3 Folder   17	339.22 Words and phrases defined
Box   3 Folder   18	339.23 Criminal intent
Box   3 Folder   19	339.24 Reckless conduct defined
Box   3 Folder   20	339.25 High degree of negligence defined
Box   3 Folder   21	339.30 Solicitation
Box   3 Folder   22	333.31 Conspiracy
Box   3 Folder   23	339.33 Mitigation of penalty
Box   3 Folder   24	339.40 Childhood
Box   3 Folder   25	339.42 Intoxication
Box   3 Folder   26	339.43 Mistake
Box   3 Folder   27	339.44 Entrapment
Box   3 Folder   28	339.45 Privilege
Box   3 Folder   29	339.46 Coercion
Box   3 Folder   30	339.47 Necessity
Box   3 Folder   31	339.48 Self-defense and defense of others
Box   3 Folder   32	339.49 Defense of Property
Box   3 Folder   33	339.60 Felony and Misdemeaner defined
Box   3 Folder   34	339.61 Penalty when none expressed
Box   3 Folder   35	339.62 Increased penalty for habitual criminality
Box   3 Folder   36	339.65 Prosecution under more than one section permitted
Box   3 Folder   37	339.66 Conviction of included crime permitted
Box   3 Folder   38	339.70 Presumption of innocence and burden of proof
Box   3 Folder   39	339.71 Limitation on number of convictions
Box   3 Folder   40	339.72 No conviction of both completed and inchoate crime
Box   3 Folder   41	339.73 Criminal penalty only permitted on conviction
Box   3 Folder   42	339.74 Time limitations on prosecutions
Box   3 Folder   43	Chapter 339 Related material
Box   3 Folder   44	Chapter 339 Preliminary draft
	Drafts not incorporated in Chapter 339
Box   3 Folder   45	Increased penalty for multiple parties
Box   3 Folder   46	Effect of criminal liability under the laws of another jurisdiction
Box   3 Folder   47	Criminal responsibility for the acts of another
Box   3 Folder   48	Privilege
	Chapter 340, Crimes Against Life and Bodily Security
Box   3 Folder   49	340.01 First-degree murder
Box   3 Folder   50	340.02 Second-degree murder
Box   3 Folder   51	340.03 Manslaughter
Box   3 Folder   52	340.04 Homicide by reckless conduct
Box   3 Folder   53	340.05 Homicide by negligent use of vehicle or weapon
Box   3 Folder   54	340.06 Homicide by intoxicated use of vehicle or weapon
Box   3 Folder   55	340.07 Assisting suicide
Box   3 Folder   56	340.08 Abortion
Box   3 Folder   57	340.09 Self-abortion
Box   3 Folder   58	340.20 Battery
Box   3 Folder   59	340.21 Aggravated battery
Box   3 Folder   60	340.22 Injury by reckless conduct
Box   3 Folder   61	340.23 Abandonment of young child
Box   3 Folder   62	340.24 Abuse of inmates of institutions
Box   3 Folder   63	340.25 False imprisonment
Box   3 Folder   64	340.26 Kidnapping
Box   3 Folder   65	340.27 Kidnapping for ransom
Box   3 Folder   66	340.28 Criminal intimidation
Box   3 Folder   67	Chapter 340 General material
	Drafts not incorporated in Chapter 340
Box   3 Folder   68	Assault
Box   3 Folder   69	Cruelty to children
	Chapter 341, Crimes against public health and safety
Box   3 Folder   70	341.01 Negligent operation of vehicle
Box   3 Folder   71	341.02 Operation of vehicle by intoxicated person
Box   3 Folder   72	341.03 Highway obstruction
Box   3 Folder   73	341.10 Negligent handling of burning material
Box   3 Folder   74	341.11 Unsafe burning of buildings or dwellings
Box   3 Folder   75	341.12 Interference with fire-fighting
Box   3 Folder   76	341.13 False alarms and interference with alarm systems
Box   3 Folder   77	341.20 Negligent use of weapon
Box   3 Folder   78	341.21 Reckless use of weapon
Box   3 Folder   79	341.22 Possession of pistol by minor
Box   3 Folder   80	341.23 Carrying concealed weapon
Box   3 Folder   81	341.24 Unlawful possession of machine-gun or tear gas
Box   3 Folder   82	341.30 Endangering safety by reckless conduct
Box   3 Folder   83	341.31 Possession of explosive for unlawful purpose
Box   3 Folder   84	341.32 Administering dangerous or stupefying drug
Box   3 Folder   85	341.33 Hazing
Box   3 Folder   86	Chapter 341 General material
Box   3 Folder   87	Chapter 341 Platz annotations
	Chapter 342 Crimes against reputation and civil liberties
Box   3 Folder   88	342.01 Defamation
Box   3 Folder   89	342.02 Communication of identity of crimes victims
Box   3 Folder   90	342.04 Denial of Rights
Box   3 Folder   91	342.05 Opening letters
Box   3 Folder   92	342.03 Giving false information for publication
Box   3 Folder   93	Chapter 342 Revised version, 1952
	Chapter 343 Crimes against property
Box   3 Folder   94	343.01 Criminal damage to property
Box   3 Folder   95	343.02 Criminal damage by fire or explosives
Box   3 Folder   96	343.03 Damage to property with intent to defraud
Box   3 Folder   97	343.04 Placing of combustible materials
Box   3 Folder   98	343.10 Burglary
Box   3 Folder   99	343.11 Aggravated burglary
Box   4 Folder   1	343.12 Possession of burglars tools
Box   4 Folder   2	343.13 Criminal trespass to land
Box   4 Folder   3	343.14 Criminal trespass to buildings and dwellings
Box   4 Folder   4	343.20 Stealing
Box   4 Folder   5	343.21 Prima facie evidence to stealing
Box   4 Folder   6	343.22 Fraud on hotel or restaurant keeper
Box   4 Folder   7	343.23 Operating vehicle without owner's consent
Box   4 Folder   8	343.24 Issue of worthless check
Box   4 Folder   9	343.25 Transfer of encumbered property
Box   4 Folder   10	343.26 Extortion
Box   4 Folder   11	343.27 Robbery
Box   4 Folder   12	343.28 Aggravated robbery
Box   4 Folder   13	343.29 Receiving stolen propety
Box   4 Folder   14	343.30 Purchases from children prohibited
Box   4 Folder   15	343.31 Alteration of property identification marks
Box   4 Folder   16	343.32 Forgery
Box   4 Folder   17	343.33 Fraudulent writings
Box   4 Folder   18	Chapter 343 General material
	Drafts not incorporated in Chapter 343
Box   4 Folder   19	Criminal mischief
Box   4 Folder   20	Felony murder
	Chapter 344 Crimes against sexual morality
Box   4 Folder   21	344.01 Rape
Box   4 Folder   22	344.02 Intercourse without consent
Box   4 Folder   23	344.05 Bigamy
Box   4 Folder   24	344.06 Incest
Box   4 Folder   25	344.10 Intercourse with child
Box   4 Folder   26	344.11 Indecent behavior with child
Box   4 Folder   27	344.12 Enticing child for immoral purposes
Box   4 Folder   28	344.15 Fornication
Box   4 Folder   29	344.16 Adultery
Box   4 Folder   30	344.17 Sexual perversion
Box   4 Folder   31	344.20 Lewd and lascivious behavior
Box   4 Folder   32	344.25 Prostitution
Box   4 Folder   33	344.26 Patronizing prostitutes
Box   4 Folder   34	344.27 Soliciting prostitutes
Box   4 Folder   35	344.28 Pandering
Box   4 Folder   36	344.29 Keeping place of prostitution
Box   4 Folder   37	344.30 Evidence of place of prostitution
	Chapter 345 Gambling
Box   4 Folder   38	345.01 Definitions relating to gambling
Box   4 Folder   39	345.02 Gambling
Box   4 Folder   40	345.03 Commercial gambling
Box   4 Folder   41	345.05 Permitting premises to be used for commercial gambling
Box   4 Folder   42	345.05 Dealing in gambling devices
Box   4 Folder   43	345.06 Installing communication facilities for gamblers
Box   4 Folder   44	345.07 Gambling by participants in contests
Box   4 Folder   45	345.08 Bribery of participant in contest
Box   4 Folder   46	Chapter 345 General material
	Drafts not incorporated in Chapter 345
Box   4 Folder   47	Commercial bribery
	Chapter 346 Crimes against government and its administration
Box   4 Folder   48	Table of Contents
Box   4 Folder   49	346.01 Treason
Box   4 Folder   50	346.02 Sabotage
Box   4 Folder   51	346.03 Sedition
Box   4 Folder   52	346.04 Display of seditious flag or emblem
Box   4 Folder   53	346.05 Flag desecration
Box   4 Folder   54	346.06 Improper use of flag
Box   4 Folder   55	346.10 Bribery of public officials or employees
Box   4 Folder   56	346.11 Special priviledges from public utilities
Box   4 Folder   57	346.12 Misconduct in public office
Box   4 Folder   58	346.13 Private interest in public control prohibited
Box   4 Folder   59	346.14 Purchasing claims at less than full value
Box   4 Folder   60	346.15 Purchasing claims for collection
Box   4 Folder   61	346.16 Judicial officer in collecting claims
Box   4 Folder   62	346.17 Public attorney of judicial officer not to be retained by public utility
Box   4 Folder   63	346.18 Misconduct sections apply to de facto officers
Box   4 Folder   64	346.30 False information to authorities
Box   4 Folder   65	346.31 Perjury and false swearing
Box   4 Folder   66	346.40 Refusing to aid officer
Box   4 Folder   67	346.41 Resisting and interfering with officer
Box   4 Folder   68	346.42 Escape
Box   4 Folder   69	346.43 Assaults by prisoners
Box   4 Folder   70	346.44 Assisting or permitting escape
Box   4 Folder   71	346.45 Negligently allowing escape
Box   4 Folder   72	346.46 Encouraging violation of probation or parole
Box   4 Folder   73	346.47 Harboring or aiding felons
Box   4 Folder   74	346.60 Concealing evidence
Box   4 Folder   75	346.61 Bribery of witness
Box   4 Folder   76	346.62 Concealing identity
Box   4 Folder   77	346.63 Concealing death of a child
Box   4 Folder   78	346.64 Communicating with jurors
Box   4 Folder   79	346.65 Radio broadcast of criminal trial or examination
Box   4 Folder   80	346.66 Abuse of criminal law
Box   4 Folder   81	346.67 Compounding crime
Box   4 Folder   82	346.68 Simulating legal process
Box   4 Folder   83	346.69 Falsely assuming to act as public officer
Box   4 Folder   84	346.70 Personating peace officer
Box   4 Folder   85	346.71 Interference with custody of child
Box   4 Folder   86	346.72 Tampering with public papers
Box   4 Folder   87	346.73 Penalty for violating laws and regulations governing state and county institutions
Box   4 Folder   88	Chapter 346 General material
	Chapter 347 Crimes against public peace, order and other interests
Box   4 Folder   89	Table of contents
Box   4 Folder   90	347.01 Disorderly conduct
Box   4 Folder   91	347.02 Vagrancy
Box   4 Folder   92	347.03 Drunkeness
Box   4 Folder   93	347.04 Drunkeness and drinking in common carriers
Box   4 Folder   94	347.05 Disturbing meetings
Box   4 Folder   95	347.06 Unlawful assemblies and their suppression
Box   4 Folder   96	347.07 Dueling
Box   4 Folder   97	347.10 Cruelty to animals
Box   4 Folder   98	Chapter 359.12 Repeater statute
Box   4 Folder   99	Chapter 363 Search warrants
	Revised criminal jury instructions, 1959-1962
Box   4 Folder   100	Index and general
Box   4 Folder   101	Sections 1001-1099 General instructions
Box   5 Folder   1	Sections 1101-1111 Conspiracy
Box   5 Folder   2	Sections 1201-1288 Mitigation
Box   5 Folder   3	Sections 1301-1382 Murder
Box   5 Folder   4	Sections 1401-1441 Battery
Box   5 Folder   5	Sections 1500-1503 Theft
Box   5 Folder   6	Sections 1721-1803 Burglary and rape
Box   5 Folder   7-9	Unfoldered criminal code revision material, William Platz files
Box   6 Folder   1-6	Unfoldered criminal code revision material, William Platz files, continued