Ninety-four percent of all non-fatal shootings that took place in the city of Chicago during 2012 did not lead to any charges due to the victims frustration with a due judicial process.
Of the 1,893 incidents registered by Chicago Police in 2012, only 111 shootings, that is about 6 percent, resulted in charges being pressed against the perpetrators. This new data is lower than the 8.5 percent registered in 2011.
“If only 6 percent of people involved in nonlethal shootings are charged, it clearly doesn’t set much of a deterrent,” said former Chicago Police official Jody Weis, and added, “What it says is you have pretty good odds that you won’t wind up in court or wind up in jail.”
One reason for the low percentage is the people’s “lack of trust of law enforcement” according to an official at the state attorney’s office.
An additional reason is that witnesses to the shootings fear that they will be retaliated against for testifying.
Of the nonlethal shootings last year, 6 percent are still under investigation and 5 percent were “cleared exceptionally”, meaning that the police knew the shooter; however, officers were not able to bring charges due to the witnesses’ refusal to testify or the death of the offender.
Chicago Police Department registered 513 homicides for 2012, a 15 % increase from 448 homicides in 2011.
CAH/HJL
