Hunters and Howlers. Threats and Violence against Federal Judicial Officials inthe United States, 1789-1993

摘要

This study examines inappropriate communications to and assaults against thefederal judiciary from several perspectives: historical, scholarly, international, judicial, and analytical. Part I provides a context for understanding the problems facing today's federal judiciary. Part II analyzes that problem in some detail. The analysis is based on a statistical study of 3,096 inappropriate communications to federal judicial officials reported to the headquarters of the United States Marshals Service from fiscal year 1980 through fiscal year 1993. Various discrete characteristics and specific features of the communications were categorized. Each of the 3,096 inappropriate communications was then entered into the computer according to what was known about them. Various tests were run on the database to identify statistically significant relationships between the individual characteristics and combinations of characteristics, and what was known of the outcome of the specific inappropriate communication or assault. As a result of the analysis, the inappropriate communications and assaults are described by their nature, character, method, motive, victims, and suspects. Each also was analyzed by the outcome--by whether the person making the inappropriate communication did nothing to implement it, tired to carry it out, or actually inflicted some violence or harm. The analysis provides a way to think about inappropriate communications by describing their salient features and identifying their characteristics. Finally, the study is intended to shed some insight on what makes individuals threaten federal judicial officials. By understanding their motives and complaints, their angers and fears, perhaps we can deal with their anger intelligently and purposefully.