Police Killings Almost Never Lead To Murder Charges

05/01/2015 News Insights

By Carl Bialik & Campaign Zero

Insight: A criminal charge is a long way from conviction and imprisonment. And police officers charged with crimes are less likely than other people to be convicted and incarcerated. Among officers charged nationally in 2010 with misconduct — a broad category that includes excessive force (including fatal excessive force), sexual misconduct and assault — 33 percent were convicted and 12 percent were incarcerated. The equivalent percentages for felony defendants in the general population in 2006 were 68 percent and 48 percent, respectively.