Wednesday, May 25, 2011

How many cases we plead out

The most common question I get from folks outside the criminal justice system is, "How many cases do you have at any one time?" The answer is, "About 120 or so."

The next question starts with a "Wow," and goes on: "How many of those goes to trial?"
Answer: five or six.

Which means we plead most of them out (on Good Friday we swap dismissals for Easter eggs and on July 4 we exchange them for fireworks--home-made ones only, please!). So, in a non-scientific experiment I started keeping an inaccurate and hap-hazard tally of cases pled each month.

The first month I kept tabs was January (but please do read the explanation/standard disclaimers below).
Total cases pled: 68
Probation: 32
Jail time: 36

I can now reveal the February and March numbers:

February:
Total cases pled: 38
Probation: 23
Jail time: 15

March:
Total cases pled: 50
Probation: 26
Jail time: 24

[Disclaimers:
1. "Probation" includes regular probation and deferred adjudication. "Jail" includes anything from one day back-time, to life in the penitentiary. It's usually somewhere in between. :)
2. Note that these stats do no take into account probation revocation cases, i.e. where someone already on probation is accused of committing a further offense, and their probation is either continued or ends with a jail sentence. They also don't take into account cases from our court resolved on the "rocket docket" in the magistrate's court.]

3 comments:

  1. 120 cases at one time? Seriously? But, but, on Law & Order they had only worked one at a time... didn't they? Shows how much I know. Thanks, TV, for keeping it real.

    Interesting stats. When do you find time to write? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Jennifer. Yeah, it's shocking how lazy those L&O guys are. Maybe there's less crime in NYC?!

    Writing... whenever I can. Weekends, evenings, early mornings. Not easy, but I have an understanding family. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. BTW, aren't we supposed to do an interview with you for your upcoming book?!?!

    ReplyDelete

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