Prosecution

U.S. attorneys opened matters for investigation against 133,935 suspects during 2006. The number of investigations initiated by U.S. attorneys decreased by 3% over 2005. Fifty-one percent were investigated for public-order offenses such as regulatory (4%); immigration (26%), and weapons (10%) offenses; more than a quarter (27%) were investigated for drug offenses; 19% for property offenses; and 4% for violent offenses such as murder, rape, assault, and robbery.
Of the 141,130 suspects in matters concluded during 2006, 79% were referred for prosecution either before a U.S. district court judge (59%) or a U.S. magistrate (20%). Nearly all (98%) of those investigated for immigration offenses were referred for prosecution or disposal by U.S. magistrate.