Pizzapinochle
member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2013
- Messages
- 570
State vs. Federal convictions
I am looking at a couple documents:
http://www.ussc.gov/Research_and_St...2013/FY12_Overview_Federal_Criminal_Cases.pdf
and
http://bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/FFRO.PDF
I am trying to figure out if federal convictions have any real connection to general trends in crime, specifically relating to firearms..
So, for example, one statement is this:
"Firearms crimes were 9.8 percent of the total federal criminal
convictions for fiscal year 2012. Of the 8,105 firearms cases
reported to the Commission, 23.2 percent (1,884) involved the
possession or use of a firearm in connection with a crime of
violence or drug trafficking crime. More than half of the cases
(4,190) involved a convicted felon who illegally possessed a
firearm."
There are some interesting facts in there, but it is talking about a very small number of cases (8,105) relative to crime nationwide. Less than 2,000 of those involved violent crime, which there are obviously a lot more violent crimes committed nationwide with firearms (something like 300,000).
Questions:
Why would those particular 8,105 cases have been tried in Federal court? What types of firearm cases end up in Federal court instead of State courts?
Specifically, why would those 1,884 violent/drug cases make their way to federal court out of the hundreds of thousands of violent firearm crimes?
Do trends in federal convictions mirror trends in the general criminal population?
For example: This passage says that more than half the firearm cases involved a felon with a previous conviction who was illegally possessing a firearm. Would it be accurate to say that nationwide, more than half the crimes committed with a gun likely involve a felon in illegal possession? Or, are federal convictions sufficiently unique that they probably don't reflect general trends?
Thanks for the help.
I am looking at a couple documents:
http://www.ussc.gov/Research_and_St...2013/FY12_Overview_Federal_Criminal_Cases.pdf
and
http://bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/FFRO.PDF
I am trying to figure out if federal convictions have any real connection to general trends in crime, specifically relating to firearms..
So, for example, one statement is this:
"Firearms crimes were 9.8 percent of the total federal criminal
convictions for fiscal year 2012. Of the 8,105 firearms cases
reported to the Commission, 23.2 percent (1,884) involved the
possession or use of a firearm in connection with a crime of
violence or drug trafficking crime. More than half of the cases
(4,190) involved a convicted felon who illegally possessed a
firearm."
There are some interesting facts in there, but it is talking about a very small number of cases (8,105) relative to crime nationwide. Less than 2,000 of those involved violent crime, which there are obviously a lot more violent crimes committed nationwide with firearms (something like 300,000).
Questions:
Why would those particular 8,105 cases have been tried in Federal court? What types of firearm cases end up in Federal court instead of State courts?
Specifically, why would those 1,884 violent/drug cases make their way to federal court out of the hundreds of thousands of violent firearm crimes?
Do trends in federal convictions mirror trends in the general criminal population?
For example: This passage says that more than half the firearm cases involved a felon with a previous conviction who was illegally possessing a firearm. Would it be accurate to say that nationwide, more than half the crimes committed with a gun likely involve a felon in illegal possession? Or, are federal convictions sufficiently unique that they probably don't reflect general trends?
Thanks for the help.