Record number of federal court criminal case filings in 2009; Biggest Increase since Prohibition

[Land Shark]

From the New York Times, quoting Chief Justice Roberts' end of year letter regarding the federal judiciary:

Criminal case filings rose 8 percent, to 76,655. That was the biggest number since 1932, the year before the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment, which repealed Prohibition. In that year, 92,174 cases were filed, many of them for alcohol-related offenses.

more details on federal court activity at Chttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/us/01scotus.html

[SteveM]

1. Noted Marijuana cases rose. Prohibition is full of irony(nt)

[OHdem10]

2. It is common for crime to increase with downturns in the economy.

This great recession(depression) we have millions out of
work with time on their hands and in great need. Stress
plus need can lead to bad consequences. Not justifying
just staring Reality in the face.

[Land Shark]

3. State courts have exclusive jurisdiction over COMMON crimes to which you refer (except drugs) n/t

[Black-Eyed Susan]

4. I was in court the other

day for a minor traffic violation which I'm fighting. It was amazing to see folks pleading their cases for all sorts of odd and petty "crimes." One thing was painfully obvious and that it was all about money.

[2 Much Tribulation]

5. Yes, oftentimes it is about money. Police don't truly investigate a stolen stereo worth $300 but

they do issue lots of traffic tickets for $50 to $100 bucks. Which is the more serious crime?

[vadawg]

8. you do realise that the stereo worth $300 or $3000 would take a lot of time to investigate

personally i blame CSI etc, cant believe the number of people who believe that we can lift an imprint of someones ear from their door and run it through the ear database. The tickets are easy to prosecute, i saw you do the offense, i wrote you the ticket, now we are in court for the judge to decide the punishment...

[divideetimpera]

6. as a criminal defense lawyer, I can tell you that money is indeed a factor

people just are afraid of what the future holds and want to keep their money.

A major source of govt funding at all levels is fines

[Land Shark]

7. and an up and coming source of "health care" funding (or general operations...) n/t

[depakid]

9. Unfortunately, it's not because banksters, fraudsters, torturers and food poisoners

are being held accountable in anywhere near the numbers one would expect given the nature and extent of their crimes.

Maybe that will change next year- or maybe Obama's justice department will simply go down as a historical disgrace.

[Land Shark]

10. TRUE. Would that they were being held accountable! n/t

[AllentownJake]

11. We'd have to build new prisons if we actually investigated the economic crisis

Instead of committing new crimes.