Traffic cases dropping in 8-year period

Posted on Jul 14 2008

The number of traffic cases filed in the Superior Court has dropped significantly the past eight years.

According to the NMI Judiciary Annual Report, from 12,235 traffic cases filed in 2000, there were only 3,091 traffic cases in 2007 or a big 74.7 percent decrease.

The report shows a pattern of decline. In 2001 there were 10,320 traffic cases; in 2002, 8,391; in 2003, 6,142; in 2004, 7,544; in 2005, 5,407; and in 2006, 5,399.

In the eight-year period, there were 82,516 total cases filed in court and a bulk of them—58,529—were traffic.

The Department of Public Safety has yet to release a formal explanation regarding the decreasing trend. Some observers said it could be mainly because many people, mostly alien workers, have been leaving the CNMI due to the economic depression. Others said it is because DPS has been reducing its police visibility in the streets due to staffing shortage.

The same report indicates that in that eight-year period, the court disposed 53,092 traffic cases.

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