The fact that the process being used ensure the number will only go up and up (like total of all home runs hit in the Major League at the end of each month) means I can't get real excited that "the number has gone up". And here's my problem with that debunking.
"So what’s the problem? First, those search results showing up on PACER aren’t just indictments, they’re court proceedings. That certainly includes indictments, but it also includes search warrants, records of petty offenses (like speeding tickets), wiretap and pen register applications, etc.
A FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT does not handle such minor things as "speeding tickets." In fact, FEDERAL COURTS don't handle many "petty offenses" at all, especially not with SEALED INDICTMENTS. . . which shows the lack of knowledge the author of this "debunking" has about what he is talking about.
A FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT does not handle such minor things as "speeding tickets." Just a little nit, Swordy, and I may be totally wrong. I'm muist relying on spotty memory.
But I do recall, having worked in a Federal Halfway House in my youth, that people got into the Federal system for traffic violations in say, Yosemite National Park, for instance. And another guy I know of got sentenced in Federal Court for shoplifting in Yosemite.
Though I can't imagine those type of things would go through any "indictment" process. More likely, they got a citation and showed up in Federal Court for proceedings.
The best debunker, for me, of the Jack Blacks of this world on the indictment issue is just the sheer number of filings. They don't have to "add up like homeruns in baseball". Of course they aren't just piling up as they are filed.
Some are not related to Derp activity, and some will be dispensed and the number will go down. But just the sheer number of filings (cumulatively) , as compared to years past, tells the story that we (and Q) are trying to tell.
And it is a powerful story.
Do like me, and just shake your head when they try to debunk the "sealed indictments".
Bagster
OK, I read his analysis and he said he went in and changed the default (which the people running the quiries are using) to "criminal indictments" and got a much lower number.
Yes, I agree that Federal Courts don't handle speeding tickets, I think he was using a poor example of "petty offenseives", but they do have many other things that are not indictments that get sealed. Like search warrants.
By the way, I'm still working on updating my chart based on your input. I've been pretty busy and haven't had a chance to finish that, but I will.