We Sense a Policy Shift
In Cook County, drug crimes represented a bigger share of felony cases than any other major county in the United States, according to a federal study released Thursday.
The Justice Department study -- a snapshot of 39 counties in May 2006 -- found that drug crimes were the most serious charge filed against 57 percent of felony defendants in Cook County.
Also in Cook County, only 9 percent of the felony cases involved violent crimes, the lowest percentage in the United States, according to the study. The percentage of property crimes and public crimes, such as driving under the influence, were in the average range among the 39 counties.
It doesn't say if the low percentage of violent crimes charged is due to low police arrest totals, or the far more likely unwillingness of Cook County Felony Review State's Attorneys to actually charge people with violent crimes, preferring instead to "CI" violent felonies or plea out violent felonies to misdemeanors. Seeing the large number of repeat offenders, especially on weapons charges, going through the revolving door of the courts, we're going to guess it's the latter.
Labels: stats
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
19 Comments:
The real story is why are totally legit drug cases thrown out in court because they don't meet the magic number of bags that the county has established in order to find probable cause on the case?
Couldn't have said it better myself. There is no doubt that do to a lower clearance rate, the lower amount of cases that are violent crime cases are down.
Statistics can be arranged to prove your viewpoint. It is not scientific.
no... there will still be routine finding of no probable cause for anything under 1.0 grams... even though you have probable cause. they have way too much dope going through 26th street. the low violent offenders are the murders, agg batts, rapists which are not being caught. agg batt with handgun is the only agg batt you will get approved and homocides are not being cleared... not to mention cpd just are not doing the work that use to be done because most of us just dont give a sh*t... I do my one or two bagger or dopw every day... That way I can keep my spot on a tac team... Im not embaressed to say it, Ill do that everyday to keep my spot.. otherwise, im not going above and beyond for this department... you want numbers???ok, here is your one bagger of weed, I dont care one bit.
Its obvious from fox 32's report on judges cutting out early that there is a short dockett. That definitely goes for criminal courts.
If that's the case we need less judges and less states attorneys. Slash the bureaucracy. The Chicago police department is being reduced in size permanently. There's no need for three asa's in felony court rooms. Court rooms are regularly doubled up because judges are vacationing or plain missing and those calls magically ate finished before 4.
All part of some nonsense in an attempt to make the city look safer.
Nothing is worse than locking up a smart ass for some pot, and having the Judge ask the ASA "It is enough for us to bother with?" Then asshole gives you a smirk when he walks out---nice way to emasculate the Police.
Many SAO and many Judges treat us like shit or as if we were beneath them.
Simple questions for the SA.
How many violent felonies (murder, armed robbery, CSA, agg battery) are currently classified as continued investigations (ie. C/I) by the Cook County SA Office?
In how many of those cases was the offender arrested and then released, thereby allowing an offender to walk the streets while looking for "additional evidence" in cases where there was more than sufficient probable cause to charge? (It will easily be over 90% and possibly over 95%).
I am really getting tired of formulating the questions for the Chicago Media to ask these elected officials.
When are you "reporters" going to learn your job?
Bring the Fentanyl and the pure Mexican tar back, no more heroin problem.
They are looking for a way to provide work for the ASA's. Years ago, you had to call Felony Review for probable cause for PCS in A5.
There was no BY LAW or PER LAW!
It looks like this will be the case again.
There is a major beef concerning drop cases with the same narrative and the same PO's names on multiple arrest reports too.
I do my one or two bagger or dopw every day... That way I can keep my spot on a tac team... Im not embaressed to say it, Ill do that everyday to keep my spot.. otherwise, im not going above and beyond for this department... you want numbers???ok, here is your one bagger of weed, I dont care one bit.
5/29/2010 01:44:00 AM
What a horrible existance...I hope you remember this statement when you are on your deathbed. 20 somethin years of that and all you'll have to say for yourself is that you wore out a few pairs of jeans
I suspect there is a reason for low jail population. I knew a recent law school grad that went before some Crook Co SA board for an interview and was asked what she would reccommend for a young minority chap with a min. pcs charge. She reponded with the appropriate ILCS penalty. WRONG! They advised her the Jail is full of minorities and they suggest lesser charge (misdmr). She never got the CCASA job, but did wind up in another County way up North. CC doesn't want prosecutors or police for that matter. They're saving big $ with empty cells to pay for the full compliment of attys, judges, clerks & misc. patronage.
Its obvious from fox 32's report on judges cutting out early that there is a short dockett. That definitely goes for criminal courts.
If that's the case we need less judges and less states attorneys. Slash the bureaucracy. The Chicago police department is being reduced in size permanently. There's no need for three asa's in felony court rooms. Court rooms are regularly doubled up because judges are vacationing or plain missing and those calls magically ate finished before 4.
5/29/2010 01:59:00 AM
Uh, think there is a little more to it than that. How about Judges squeezing court employees (social service, pd's, etc.) to get rid of their cases if there is a small court call so they can go golfing.
Recently watched a private attorney jump through hoops to get a case ready for 1:30 court call and behind his back the judge got rid of the small call and then everyone laughed behind the atty's back.
$170k year.
Nothing is worse than locking up a smart ass for some pot, and having the Judge ask the ASA "It is enough for us to bother with?" Then asshole gives you a smirk when he walks out---nice way to emasculate the Police.
----------------------------
You might think that the polcie would figure out eventually that busting a smart ass for having a tiny amount of pot is a losing proposition and they would stop doing it.
The problem is that these crimes that harm no one clog up the courts as bad as a violent offender does.
Better to worry about thugs than pot heads.
I am amazed I ever came to this POV but I am becoming convinced that if the state is serious about dealing with violent crime they have to find a way to not clog up the system with these minor drug crimes.
Maybe make it an offense akin to a traffic citation. You catch a guy with a small amount of drugs, you write him a citation and he sends his fine in. The politicians will love it because like traffic citations its all about revenue.
judges would rather toss a drug case so that they (she) can get home early to sun bathe. Didn't you see the special?
Any attorney who stays with the states attorneys office or us attorneys office more than 4 years is nothing but a political hack. All attorneys know you only go to those offices for trial experience, but then you leave and become a real attorney and make the big bucks. Those that stay as lifers are pussys.
According to AssHat, "Maybe make it an offense akin to a traffic citation. You catch a guy with a small amount of drugs, you write him a citation and he sends his fine in. The politicians will love it because like traffic citations its all about revenue." ("We Sense A Policy Shift: Comment 13)
Wow, what a great idea. I am as sure as you are that the petty offender will send in his/her payment as soon as it is due. Never will they avoid payment. Then we can use the revenue projections to formulate our budget proposals free from worry that the projections will never, ever fall short.
We lost the war on drugs in the 80's. We should just be sending these cases to misdemeanor branch courts. The court system is a joke and po's abuse the system by making the rock arrest just for the 3hrs court time. No body really cares about the drugs. The rock arrests do not change anything, it just cost the taxpayers more and more in wasted money and bs drug programs that do not work.
CPD ought just adopt an official policy of rocks and pot get tossed down the storm drains.
I believe that once, years ago, that was what generally happened.
The deterrence would be roughly equal, and the massively expensive judicial and prosecutorial system could be used to pursue crimes that actually hurt someone.
This is all a hangover from Shortshanks' 1980s infatuation with Nancy Reagan and "Just Say No."
You want to watch Da Mayor turn purple? Suggest that maybe criminalizing drugs hasn't worked. He goes nuts.
Post a Comment
<< Home