Assault in the Legal System
The Seattle Star reported on assault crimes throughout various stages of the legal system from 1900-1920. One-quarter of articles reported on just the crime itself, and provided eyewitness and victim testimony instead of police reports or applicable charges. Thirty percent of cases were reported after the alleged offender was arrested, but before their trial. These articles include the “arrested,” “jailed,” and “arraigned” categories. Nine cases (22.5%) of the forty covered trial details, including witness testimonies and sentencing predictions. Another nine reported post-trial consequences such as sentencing or dismissal (2 cases). Common punishments for smaller-scale assaults included fines of up to $50, while more serious assaults received a sentence of one to twenty years in prison.
The colors in the chart range from darkest (the crime was just committed, no arrests have been made) to lightest pink (trial over, sentence imposed).