Judges are allowing most Capitol rioters to avoid jail time: analysis

According to a Newsweek analysis, most judges have been fairly lenient on people who've pleaded guilty in relation to the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6., with only "about one-third of the people who accepted responsibility for misdemeanor charges received prison sentences."

Over half of Capitol rioters who were convicted in 2021 received no jail time.

"...but the majority of those defendants were only facing a maximum sentence of 6 months," Newsweek's analysis found. "Judges have sought to balance punishments that fit the individual cases with the need to send a message that deters future attacks, and most of those who were sentenced for serious felonies were given years behind bars."

READ: Jan. 6 rioter who led initial breach at Capitol ordered back in jail

As Newsweek points out, judges have been far more lenient to rioters charged with misdemeanors than those charged with more serious crimes. "Of the 63 Capitol rioters sentenced on misdemeanor charges, only 23 received jail time. Their jail sentences ranged from 14 days to six months with rioters receiving an average of 51 days," according to data from the Justice Department reviewed by Newsweek.

Read the full analysis over at Newsweek.