The U.S. military failed to act against more than 30% of those accused of sexual assault in 2010, according to a new report (pdf) from the Department of Defense’s Inspector General (IG).

The Pentagon’s IG reviewed 501 sample sexual assault cases from the 2,263 cases closed three years ago, and found 33% of the suspects or “subjects” in those cases fell into the category of “no action taken.”

“No action taken” meant the suspects were not subject to adverse or disciplinary action as a result of the allegation.

The military took no action against 187 individuals, according to the IG, while 141 subjects were categorized as either unknown, or accused of “unfounded offenses.”

Only 11% (59 individuals) were convicted for either sexual assault offenses or lesser non-sexual assault offenses in 2010. About 40% of suspects received some form of “adverse action,” the IG report said.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

'No Action Taken' Against One-Third of Sexual Assault Suspects in Cases Closed in 2010 (by Kellie Lunney, Government Executive)

Evaluation of the Military Criminal Investigative Organizations Sexual Assault Investigations (Inspector General, Department of Defense) (pdf)

Sexual Assault Measure to be Dropped from Military Bill, Keeping Cases in Chain of Command (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)    

Court to Decide if Military Rape Victims Can Sue Defense Dept. (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

17 Victims Sue Rumsfeld and Gates over Failure to Deal with Military Rapes (by David Wallechinsky and Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)