1.16 million Americans are arrested annually for drug related offenses.
Key Findings
Drug Overdoses & Deaths | Drug Use Among Youth | Marijuana Use & Addiction | Opioid Epidemic | Marijuana Incarceration | Fentanyl Abuse | Prescription Drug Abuse | Alcohol Abuse
Total Drug Arrest Statistics
2020 was a year where Americans saw a significant drop in the number of drug arrests nationwide. Before 2020, drug arrests held a steady pattern from 2010 to 2019. The total number of drug arrests is available for 2016, but not a breakdown of what kind of arrests were made by drug category.
- 1.16 million Americans are arrested annually for the sale, manufacture or possession of illegal substances.
- The number of arrests made between 2019 and 2020 dropped by more than 400,000.
- Drug arrests including marijuana make up a total of 26% of all arrests in the U.S.
- By itself, marijuana makes up 11% of total nationwide arrests.
Marijuana Related Crimes Statistics
Possession and the sale/manufacture of marijuana as a crime has dropped drastically nationwide over the last decade. In the early 2010’s marijuana was the number 1 drug offense Americans were arrested over.
- 32,357 Americans are arrested annually for the sale and manufacture of marijuana.
- 317,793 Americans are arrested annually for possession of marijuana.
- Over the last decade, arrests made for the sale and manufacture of marijuana have dropped by 68%.
- Over the last decade, arrests made for the possession of marijuana have dropped by 58%.
- In the graph below, data was unavailable for the year 2016.
Alcohol Related Crimes Statistics
The FBI cites drunkenness or public intoxication as a crime, it is labeled a misdemeanor crime in order to prevent the drunk person from disturbing or hurting others. Alcohol related crimes include drunk driving and homicide.
- 316,032 Americans are arrested for drunkenness annually.
- 10,511 deaths annually are attributable to drunk driving.
- 7,334 homicides annually have alcohol as a contributing factor.
- 48% of homicide convicts were drinking before they committed murder.
Heroin, Cocaine, and Derivative Products Related Crime Statistics
Derivative products of heroin and cocaine include crack cocaine, freebase cocaine, speedball and similar products. The use of either heroin or cocaine greatly leads to the usage of the other drug; cocaine addicts are 15 times more likely to also be addicted to heroin.
- 47,380 Americans are arrested annually for the sale and manufacture of heroin, cocaine, and derivative products.
- 227,655 Americans are arrested annually for the possession of heroin, cocaine, and derivative products.
- Arrests made for the sale and manufacturer of heroin, cocaine, and derivative products have dropped over the last decade by 53%.
- Arrests made for the possession of heroin, cocaine, and derivative products have dropped over the last decade by 15%.
Synthetic Drug Crimes Statistics
Synthetic drugs or designer drugs are drugs created with man made artificial ingredients rather than natural ingredients. They were made as slight alterations of illegal drugs in order to make them legal. In order to regulate them, the DEA made many of the chemical ingredients being used to manufacture synthetic drugs illegal.
- 17,334 Americans are arrested annually for the manufacture and sale of synthetic drugs.
- 40,446 Americans are arrested annually for the possession of synthetic drugs.
- Arrests made for the sale and manufacture of synthetic drugs dropped over the last decade by 41%.
- Arrests made for the possession of synthetic drugs dropped over the last decade by 40%.
- In the graph below, data was unavailable for the year 2016.
People Sentenced to Prison for Drug Related Crimes Statistics
Individuals sentenced to prison for drug related offenses may be sentenced to a state or federal level prison. There are less people sentenced to prison for drug related offenses at the federal level than at the state level. Both federal and state level prisons show a downward trend in the number of people being sentenced for drug related crimes annually.
- 72,210 prisoners are sentenced to federal prisons for drug related crimes.
- 171,300 prisoners are sentenced to state prisons for drug related crimes.
- Over nearly a decade the number of prisoners sentenced to federal prison has decreased by 25%.
- Over nearly a decade the number of prisoners sentenced to state prison has decreased by 28%.
People Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Related Crimes Statistics
The rate at which individuals were sentenced to federal prison for drug related crimes was at its highest in the years between 2005 and 2015. Although a larger percentage of the female prisoner population is serving time for drug related offenses, the male population serving time for drug offenses is larger overall.
- 46% of prisoners in federal prison are there for drug related crimes.
- 59% of all women sentenced to federal prison are serving time for drug offenses.
- 6,500 women are serving time for drug offenses.
- 45% of all men sentenced to federal prison are serving time for drug offenses.
- 66,700 men are serving time for drug offenses.
- Nearly 60% of Hispanic federal prisoners were in prison for drug related offenses.
- 27% of parents in federal prison reported having a parent or guardian who abused alcohol or drugs.
| Year | Number of People Sentenced |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 97,800 |
| 2011 | 99,900 |
| 2012 | 98,900 |
| 2013 | 98,200 |
| 2014 | 96,500 |
| 2015 | 92,000 |
| 2016 | 81,900 |
| 2017 | 78,800 |
| 2018 | 76,700 |
| 2019 | 73,210 |
People Sentenced to State Prison for Drug Related Crimes Statistics
A majority of those who used drugs while they were being arrested reported using marijuana at the time of the offense. Crack/cocaine was the 2nd most popular response. Violent offenders are less likely then drug or property offenders to use drugs the month before they committed their crime.
- 26% of female state prisoners are serving time for drug related crimes.
- 13% of male state prisoners are serving time for drug related crimes.
- 3.7% of those sentenced to state prison had drug possession as their most serious offense.
- 10.4% of those sentenced to state prison had another drug charge as their most serious offense including the manufacture and sale of drugs.
- 1/3rd of all state prisoners and jail inmates committed their crimes in order to get drugs or get money for drugs.
- 1 in 6 state prisoners and jail inmates committed violent offenses in order to get drugs or get money for drugs.
- 40% of state prisoners and jail inmates said they used drugs at the time they were arrested.
- 34% of parents in state prison reported that their parents or guardians abused alcohol or drugs.
- 43% of mothers had a parent or guardian who abused alcohol or drugs.
- 33% of fathers had a parent or guardian who abused alcohol or drugs.
| Year | Number of People Sentenced |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 237,000 |
| 2011 | 225,242 |
| 2012 | 210,200 |
| 2013 | 208,000 |
| 2014 | 206,300 |
| 2015 | 197,200 |
| 2016 | 190,100 |
| 2017 | 183,900 |
| 2018 | 176,300 |
| 2019 | 171,300 |