An AP investigation of U.S. military sex-crime cases in Japan shows commanders’ chaotic justice record as Congress prepares to vote on military legal reforms.
As reported by Jezebel, the “investigation of over 1,000 reported sex crimes between 2005 and 2013 of U.S. military bases in Japan reveals that military officials are making ‘random and inconsistent judgments’ when presented with sexual abuse cases across the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force.”
Jezebel goes on to note that:
After reviewing Defense Department documents, the AP concluded that most offenders don’t get prison time, that many are charged with lesser punishments than originally recommended and that it appears that there is a growing body of alleged victims “dropping out of investigations, either by recanting the allegations or simply declining to cooperate further.”
The AP also found that the Marines was the most likely to prosecute and imprison offenders, while the Air Force was the least likely. In most cases, abusers are fined, demoted, instructed to stay on the military base (as if that’s not where a huge percentage of their offenses take place to begin with), reprimanded via letter, given docked pay or removed from the military all together – not given jail time. In two rape cases, charges were dropped entirely after the commanders involved ignored recommendations to court-martial the alleged abusers.
You can watch a clip from The Associated Press, on their investigation below:
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