Statistics describe largest ever number of violent crime and weapons charges filed in the district
SAN FRANCISCO - U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson released statistics today from the U.S. Department of Justice reporting on the numbers of criminal defendants charged in the Northern District of California during the 2019 fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2019. Also presented were statistics identifying the numbers of defendants charged in fiscal year 2018.
According to the statistics, the Office of the United States Attorney filed cases against a total of 671 defendants in FY 2019, an increase of more than 24% from the 540 defendants charged the previous year. The increase in criminal case filings includes the highest ever number of defendants charged federally in the Northern District of California in two categories of cases: violent crime (up 35% from 163 defendants in FY 2018 to 220 defendants in FY 2019) and firearms violations (up 19% from 159 defendants in FY 2018 to 187 defendants in FY 2019). Cases filed against defendants in drug cases also increased during FY 2019: in 2018, the Northern District of California charged drug offenses against 145 defendants whereas in FY 2019, the office charged 230 defendants in drug cases, an increase of 53% in the number of defendants charged in drug cases. Immigration filings decreased by 5% from 39 defendants in FY 2018 to 37 in FY 2019. White collar filings increased 8% from 102 defendants in FY 2018 to 111 defendants in FY 2019.
“Our objective is to serve the community, vindicate federal interests, and uphold the rule of law," stated U.S. Attorney Anderson. "Although the most recent statistics reflect a massive acceleration of our practice, the case charging statistics are one but only one of the many ways we use to measure our achievement of that objective."
“The acceleration of our case charging statistics is equally balanced between expanded outreach and practice improvement."
“Amidst a background of gun violence and gun debate, our job is to vigorously enforce the gun laws that Congress has passed and the Courts have upheld," Anderson said.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
