(1) As used in this section, “felony” means a crime classified as Class Y felony, Class A felony, or Class B felony by the laws of this state.
(2) For the purposes of § 16-93-607, inmates shall be classified as follows: A first offender is an inmate convicted of one (1) or more felonies but who has not been incarcerated in some correctional institution in the United States, whether local, state, or federal, for a crime that was a felony under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the offender was incarcerated, prior to being sentenced to a correctional institution in this state for the offense or offenses for which he or she is being classified;
(3) A second offender is an inmate convicted of two (2) or more felonies and who has been once incarcerated in some correctional institution in the United States, whether local, state, or federal, for a crime that was a felony under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the offender was incarcerated, prior to being sentenced to a correctional institution in this state for the offense or offenses for which he or she is being classified;
(4) A third offender is an inmate convicted of three (3) or more felonies and who has been twice incarcerated in some correctional institution in the United States, whether local, state, or federal, for a crime that was a felony under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the offender was incarcerated, prior to being sentenced to a correctional institution in this state for the offense or offenses for which he or she is being classified; and
(5) A fourth offender is an inmate convicted of four (4) or more felonies and who has been incarcerated in some correctional institution in the United States, whether local, state, or federal, three (3) or more times for a crime that was a felony under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the offender was incarcerated, prior to being sentenced to a correctional institution in this state for the offense or offenses for which he or she is being classified.