Judge James Block Zagel
September 2012: Average Prison Sentence
District Court - Illinois North
Program Area: White Collar Crime
District Court - Illinois North
Program Area: White Collar Crime
For all cases disposed of in the current fiscal year (2012) that were credited to Judge James Block Zagel in the Northern District of Illinois, the average prison sentence was 16.3 months, when looking only at cases falling under the broad category of "White Collar Crime". During the current fiscal year, Judge James Block Zagel has sentenced 7 defendants compared with 10 defendants during the twelve months of the previous fiscal year.
Over the last five years, the average prison sentence imposed on defendants that were credited to Judge Zagel was 26.7 months. This was 13.9% lower than the 31.1 months typical in Illinois North and 15.3% higher than the 23.2 months average prison sentence for the nation. Judge James Block Zagel sentenced 41 defendants during the past five years.
(CAUTION: The kinds of cases handled by individual judges influences statistical information about their sentences. It therefore is important to consider the breakdown of cases that each has handled, available below, when making judge-by-judge comparisons.)
Figure 1 compares Judge Zagel's numbers to those for judges in this district and in the United States as a whole for cases of this type over the last five years.
During the last five years there were 26 other judges in the Northern District of Illinois with information on convictions during that period. Average prison sentence numbers passed down for those judges ranged from 11.9 months to 84.2 months, putting Judge Zagel's average prison sentence of 26.7 months at the higher end of the range. The average prison sentence for the whole Northern District of Illinois during that time was 31.1 months.
Professional Biography
Born 1941 in Chicago, IL
Federal Judicial Service
Judge, U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Nominated by Ronald Reagan on February 2, 1987, to a seat vacated by Frank J. McGarr; Confirmed by the Senate on April 21, 1987, and received commission on April 22, 1987.
Education:
University of Chicago, B.A., 1962
University of Chicago, M.A., 1962
Harvard Law School, J.D., 1965
Professional Career:
Assistant state's attorney, Cook County, Illinois, 1965-1969
Assistant attorney general, State of Illinois, 1969-1977
Deputy chief, Criminal Justice Division, 1969-1970
Chief, Criminal Justice Division, 1970-1977
Chief prosecuting attorney, Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, 1973-1975
Chief assistant attorney general, State of Arizona, 1975
Executive director, Illinois Law Enforcement Commision, 1977-1979
Director, Department of Revenue, State of Illinois, 1979-1980
Chairman, Governor's Advisory Counsel on Criminal Justice Legislation, 1980-1987
Director of state police, State of Illinois, 1980-1987
Lead Investigative Agencies in Cases Handled
The lead investigative agency that referred cases disposed of by Judge James Block Zagel for the past five years was the Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation. It accounted for 29.3% of all cases.
Other agencies with substantial numbers of cases that were disposed by Judge James Block Zagel over the past five years were: Homeland Security - Secret Service (formerly Treasury) (22.0%), Postal Service (14.6%), Treasury - Internal Revenue Service (12.2%), Other (7.3%), Veterans Administration (4.9%), Other - Social Security Administration (4.9%).
| Agency | Judge | District | US | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation | 29.3% | 39.4% | 32.5% | More |
| Homeland Security - Secret Service (formerly Treasury) | 22.0% | 12.3% | 17.4% | |
| Postal Service | 14.6% | 11.9% | 11.6% | |
| Treasury - Internal Revenue Service | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.2% | |
| Other | 7.3% | 2.5% | 2.7% | |
| Veterans Administration | 4.9% | 0.9% | 0.7% | |
| Other - Social Security Administration | 4.9% | 6.3% | 4.9% | |
| Health and Human Services | 2.4% | 2.4% | 3.5% | |
| Labor | 2.4% | 2.8% | 1.2% |
Table 2: Composition of Cases for the Past Five Years (Top 10)
Lead Charges in Cases Handled
The lead charge with the most cases disposed of by Judge James Block Zagel for the past five years was "18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles". It accounted for 24.4% of all cases.
Other lead charges with substantial numbers of cases that were disposed by Judge James Block Zagel over the past five years were: "18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud" (22.0%), "18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records" (12.2%), "18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television" (12.2%), "26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements" (7.3%), "18 USC 471 - Obligations or securities of United States" (4.9%).
| Lead Charge | Judge | District | US | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles | 24.4% | 21.7% | 10.2% | More |
| 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud | 22.0% | 9.6% | 13.0% | |
| 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records | 12.2% | 8.0% | 4.8% | |
| 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television | 12.2% | 17.6% | 8.5% | |
| 26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements | 7.3% | 4.8% | 3.1% | |
| 18 USC 471 - Obligations or securities of United States | 4.9% | 0.9% | 0.1% | |
| 18 USC 286 - Conspiracy to defraud the Government claims | 2.4% | 0.8% | 0.8% | |
| 18 USC 656 - Theft/embezzlement/misapplication by bank off, emp | 2.4% | 1.3% | 1.7% | |
| 18 USC 1014 - Fraud - Loan and credit applications etc | 2.4% | 0.9% | 0.9% | |
| 18 USC 1542 - False statement in application and use of passport | 2.4% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Table 3: Composition of Cases for the Past Five Years (Top 10)
Number of Defendants in Judge James Block Zagel's Cases
| Case | Def. | Sentence (Months) | Sentencing Date | Program Category | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0.10 | 06/15/12 | Fraud-Financial Institution | Details |
| 2 | 1 | 2.00 | 06/14/12 | Fraud-Computer | Details |
| 3 | 1 | 41.00 | 06/06/12 | Fraud-Tax | Details |
| 3 | 2 | 41.00 | 06/04/12 | Fraud-Tax | Details |
| 4 | 1 | 0.00 | 10/24/11 | Fraud-Other | Details |
| 5 | 1 | 0.00 | 10/19/11 | Fraud-Tax | Details |
| 6 | 1 | 30.00 | 10/17/11 | Fraud-Federal Program | Details |
Table 4: Individual Cases and Defendants Disposed of in Current Fiscal Year