AP findings on US military sex crimes in Japan

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_US_MILITARY_SEXUAL_ASSAULTS_FINDINGS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-02-09-08-40-05

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According to the Department of Defense documents:

NAVY USE OF NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT ON RISE

Data from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which handles the Navy and Marine Corps, show that Navy commanders in Japan increasingly are resolving sexual assault cases through nonjudicial punishment rather than courts-martial. From 2006 to 2009, they favored courts-martial, but from 2010 to 2012 they were three times more likely to choose nonjudicial punishment. In 2012, just one Navy sex-abuse case went to a court-martial, while 13 were handled through nonjudicial punishment.

MOST DON'T GET PRISON TIME

The NCIS documents show that out of 473 Marines and sailors accused of sex offenses, 179 were given some punishment, and 68 went to prison. Marines were accused more frequently than sailors, though they are stationed in Japan in similar numbers. But Marines were three times more likely to get prison sentences, which sailors received in only 15 cases over more than seven years. The Air Force data showed that out of 124 airmen accused over five years, 17 received prison time and 42 received some other punishment. In 21 Air Force cases, the sole punishment was a letter of reprimand.

LESSER CHARGES COMMON

In 46 Marine cases and 22 Navy cases, those initially accused of a violent sex crime ended up being punished for nonviolent or nonsexual offenses. The most common such charges were assault, failure to obey orders, adultery, having sex in barracks and fraternization.