Two-thirds of DC arrests in 2022 were never prosecuted

Mar 30, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Digital Producer/Editor)

More often than not, people who get arrested are not prosecuted. In the District of Columbia, two out of every three crimes in 2022 were dropped by the District U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Federal prosecutors did not prosecute 67% of those arrested by the District of Columbia Police. The majority of cases built by the district’s police were tossed. That was criticized by the police chief who justified the work of his officers by saying every person arrested should be off the streets.

Biden-appointed U.S. District Attorney Matthew Graves said his office mostly declined cases for gun possession, drug possession and misdemeanors, not in violent crimes. 87% of violent crimes were prosecuted. Graves said Washington, D.C., prioritizes violent offenses over misdemeanors due to resources.

The district’s crime has risen, like in much of the country, since the pandemic, and its public safety policies have been under national scrutiny.

Since 2019, carjackings are up 109%, homicides are up 37%, and for the first time in more than 20 years, the district recorded back-to-back years with more than 200 murders in 2021 and 2022.

Tags: Crime, Guns, Washington DC

KARAH RUCKER: MORE OFTEN THAN NOT – PEOPLE WHO GET ARRESTED ARE NOT PROSECUTED. TWO OF OUT EVERY THREE CRIMES LAST YEAR WERE DROPPED BY THE DISTRICT U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE.

FEDERAL PROSECUTORS CHOSE NOT TO PROSECUTE 67 PERCENT OF THOSE ARRESTED BY D.C. POLICE. THE MAJORITY OF CASES BUILT BY THE DISTRICT’S POLICE WERE TOSSED. THE POLICE CHIEF CALLING IT “B.S.” AND JUSTIFIED THE WORK OF HIS OFFICERS – SAYING EVERY PERSON ARRESTED SHOULD BE OFF THE STREETS.

THE BIDEN-APPOINTED U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT – MATTHEW GRAVES – SAID HIS OFFICE MOSTLY DECLINED CASES FOR GUN POSSESSION, DRUG POSSESSION, AND MISDEMEANOR – NOT IN VIOLENT CRIMES. 87 PERCENT OF VIOLENT CRIMES WERE PROSECUTED.

GRAVES SAID D.C. PRIORITIZES VIOLENT OFFENSES OVER MISDEMEANORS DUE TO RESOURCES.

WASHINGTON D.C.’S CRIME HAS RISEN – MUCH LIKE THE COUNTRY – SINCE THE PANDEMIC. AND ITS PUBLIC SAFETY POLICIES HAVE BEEN UNDER NATIONAL SCRUTINY.

SINCE 2019 CARJACKINGS ARE UP 109 PERCENT. HOMICIDES ARE UP 37 PERCENT. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS – DC RECORDED BACK TO BACK YEARS WITH MORE THAN 200 MURDERS IN 2021 AND 2022.