Convictions for 2010
Lead Charge: 33 USC 1319 - Water Pollution - Enforcement
Number Year-to-date 23 Percent Change from previous year -12.5 Percent Change from 5 years ago -51.7 Percent Change from 10 years ago -50 Percent Change from 20 years ago 86.7
Table 1: Criminal ConvictionsThe latest available data from the Justice Department show that during the first ten months of FY 2010 the government reported 23 new convictions for these matters. Those cases had a lead charge of "33 USC 1319 - Water Pollution - Enforcement". If this activity continues at the same pace, the annual total of convictions will be 28 for this fiscal year. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this estimate is down 12.5% over the past fiscal year when the number of convictions totaled 32.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for offenses are based on case-by-case information obtained by TRAC under the Freedom of Information Act from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (see Table 1).
Compared to five years ago when there were 58, the estimate of FY 2010 convictions of this type is down 51.7 percent. Convictions over the past year are lower than they were ten years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are down 50 percent from the level of 56 reported in 2000 but up 86.7 percent from the level of 15 reported in 1990.
The long term trend in convictions for these matters going back to FY 1990 is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of convictions of this type recorded each fiscal year. Projected figures for the current fiscal year are shown. Each presidential administration is distinguished by the color of the bars. To view trends month-by-month rather than year-by-year, see TRAC's monthly report series for the latest data.
Leading Program Areas
Cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types. The single largest number of convictions of these matters through July 2010 was for "Environment", accounting for all convictions.
Leading Investigative Agencies
The lead investigative agency for convictions through July 2010 was "Other - Environmental Protection Agency" accounting for 87 percent of convictions.
As shown in Figure 2, additional agencies with substantial numbers of convictions were: Homeland Security - Other (4.3%).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
Understandably, there is great variation in the number of convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts. The districts registering the largest number of convictions of this type during the first ten months of FY 2010 are shown in Table 2.
The Northern District of Ohio (Cleveland)—with 4 convictions—was the most active through July 2010.
The District of Connecticut, Southern District of Georgia (Savannah), District of Idaho, Southern District of Indiana (Indianapolis) and Northern District of New York (Syracuse) ranked 2nd.
Report Date: October 13, 2010
