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What Does Criminal Contempt Get Reduced To?

28,091 convictions analyzed · 20 reduction targets · DCJS Data (2019–2024)

According to 28,091 conviction records, Criminal Contempt is reduced to a lesser charge in 51.6% of cases. The most common reduction is to Disorderly Conduct (33.7% of reductions). Reduction rates vary across 61 New York counties with sufficient data.

Charge reduction means the conviction charge differs from the original arrest charge, typically through plea negotiation. Percentages reflect the share of guilty outcomes where the conviction charge is a different category than the arrest charge. Data sourced from New York DCJS Pretrial Release Data. Last updated: March 2026

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51.6%
Reduction Rate
Disorderly Conduct
Most Common Target
28,091
Total Convictions

What Criminal Contempt Gets Reduced To

The 20 most common conviction charges when Criminal Contempt is reduced through a plea deal.

Conviction Charge Count % of Reductions
Disorderly Conduct 9,453 33.7%
Harassment 3,652 13.0%
Assault 241 0.9%
Criminal Trespass 232 0.8%
Other 220 0.8%
Obstruction 91 0.3%
Petit Larceny 90 0.3%
Burglary 69 0.2%
Aggravated Harassment 67 0.2%
Strangulation 61 0.2%
Escape / Bail Jumping 54 0.2%
DWI / DUI 47 0.2%
Traffic Offense 46 0.2%
Weapons Offense 35 0.1%
Endangering Welfare of a Child 33 0.1%
Drug Possession 30 0.1%
Menacing 27 0.1%
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 26 0.1%
Official Misconduct 23 0.1%
Kidnapping 11 0.0%

Source: New York DCJS Pretrial Release Data (2019–2024) — NewYorkCourtFile.com

Criminal Contempt Reduction Rates by County

How often Criminal Contempt is reduced across New York counties. Click a county for detailed reduction targets.

County Convictions Reduced Reduction Rate Top Reduction
Queens 3,612 2,963 82.0% Disorderly Conduct
Suffolk 2,991 1,553 51.9% Disorderly Conduct
Nassau 1,896 1,359 71.7% Disorderly Conduct
Kings 1,670 1,139 68.2% Disorderly Conduct
New York 1,614 806 49.9% Disorderly Conduct
Richmond 1,339 884 66.0% Disorderly Conduct
Westchester 1,335 608 45.5% Harassment
Erie 1,196 569 47.6% Harassment
Monroe 999 506 50.7% Disorderly Conduct
Onondaga 990 391 39.5% Harassment
Bronx 841 445 52.9% Harassment
Oneida 805 308 38.3% Disorderly Conduct
Niagara 701 262 37.4% Harassment
Schenectady 644 383 59.5% Harassment
Albany 580 287 49.5% Disorderly Conduct
Orange 461 231 50.1% Disorderly Conduct
Broome 459 82 17.9% Disorderly Conduct
Chautauqua 452 158 35.0% Harassment
Rensselaer 397 211 53.1% Harassment
Jefferson 383 155 40.5% Disorderly Conduct
Cayuga 381 26 6.8% Disorderly Conduct
Dutchess 338 131 38.8% Disorderly Conduct
Saratoga 303 105 34.7% Disorderly Conduct
Chemung 288 38 13.2% Harassment
Oswego 279 104 37.3% Harassment
Steuben 215 41 19.1% Disorderly Conduct
Genesee 213 42 19.7% Disorderly Conduct
Cattaraugus 197 71 36.0% Harassment
Clinton 192 44 22.9% Disorderly Conduct
Montgomery 190 56 29.5% Disorderly Conduct
Ulster 188 66 35.1% Harassment
Warren 185 54 29.2% Harassment
Ontario 174 51 29.3% Harassment
Cortland 129 23 17.8% Harassment
St. Lawrence 122 26 21.3% Harassment
Madison 120 35 29.2% Disorderly Conduct
Tompkins 109 24 22.0% Harassment
Chenango 103 14 13.6% Harassment
Fulton 103 32 31.1% Harassment
Otsego 98 23 23.5% Disorderly Conduct
Wayne 80 23 28.7% Harassment
Rockland 65 24 36.9% Disorderly Conduct
Washington 62 11 17.7% Harassment
Wyoming 57 15 26.3% Disorderly Conduct
Herkimer 54 17 31.5% Disorderly Conduct
Essex 52 14 26.9% Harassment
Sullivan 50 23 46.0% Disorderly Conduct
Columbia 48 28 58.3% Disorderly Conduct
Orleans 39 13 33.3% Harassment
Tioga 35 4 11.4% Disorderly Conduct
Franklin 34 2 5.9% Harassment
Livingston 34 12 35.3% Disorderly Conduct
Seneca 32 6 18.8% Disorderly Conduct
Allegany 27 10 37.0% Harassment
Schoharie 26 4 15.4% Harassment
Lewis 21 6 28.6% Disorderly Conduct
Greene 20 9 45.0% Disorderly Conduct
Delaware 19 4 21.1% Disorderly Conduct
Schuyler 17 4 23.5% Harassment
Putnam 16 13 81.2% Disorderly Conduct
Yates 11 3 27.3% Disorderly Conduct

Source: New York DCJS Pretrial Release Data — NewYorkCourtFile.com

About Plea Bargaining in New York

Plea bargaining is a central part of New York's criminal justice system. The vast majority of criminal cases are resolved through negotiated pleas rather than trial. Charge reductions — where a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offense — are one of the primary mechanisms. The data above reflects actual outcomes from DCJS Pretrial Release records, not predictions. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, defense strategy, and local prosecutorial practices.

How we calculate reduction rates: We compare the arrest charge category to the conviction charge category for all guilty outcomes. When the conviction charge differs from the arrest charge, we count it as a reduction. Only charge category changes are counted — reductions within the same category (e.g., felony to misdemeanor assault) are not reflected here. Minimum threshold: 3 reductions per combination. Data from DCJS Pretrial Release Data, last updated March 2026.

Common Questions

Statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Past outcomes do not predict future results.

Criminal Contempt is reduced to a lesser charge in 51.6% of convictions statewide, based on 28,091 conviction records from DCJS Pretrial Release Data (2019–2024). This means that in roughly 52 out of every 100 convictions, the defendant pleads guilty to a different charge than originally arrested for.
The most common reduction for Criminal Contempt is to Disorderly Conduct, accounting for 33.7% of all reductions. This means when Criminal Contempt is reduced, it most often becomes a Disorderly Conduct conviction. The specific plea offered in your case depends on the facts, evidence, and your attorney's negotiations.
Yes. Criminal Contempt reduction rates vary significantly across New York's 62 counties. Counties like Queens (82.0% reduction rate) and Suffolk (51.9%) show different patterns. These differences reflect local prosecutorial practices, court caseloads, and plea bargaining customs. Consult a licensed attorney familiar with your county's courts.

Data source: New York DCJS Pretrial Release Data. 28,091 conviction records analyzed for Criminal Contempt. Last updated March 2026. — NewYorkCourtFile.com

Next Step

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