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What Does Drug Offense Get Reduced To?

811 convictions analyzed · 10 reduction targets · DCJS Data (2019–2024)

According to 811 conviction records, Drug Offense is reduced to a lesser charge in 65.6% of cases. The most common reduction is to Disorderly Conduct (31.2% of reductions). Reduction rates vary across 24 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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65.6%
Reduction Rate
Disorderly Conduct
Most Common Target
811
Total Convictions

What Drug Offense Gets Reduced To

The 10 most common conviction charges when Drug Offense is reduced through a plea deal.

Conviction Charge Count % of Reductions
Disorderly Conduct 253 31.2%
Petit Larceny 77 9.5%
Traffic Offense 62 7.6%
Drug Possession 45 5.5%
DWI / DUI 27 3.3%
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 17 2.1%
Other 16 2.0%
Escape / Bail Jumping 12 1.5%
Criminal Trespass 12 1.5%
Drug Sale 11 1.4%

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

Drug Offense Reduction Rates by County

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

County Convictions Reduced Reduction Rate Top Reduction
Queens 83 83 100.0% Disorderly Conduct
Kings 73 72 98.6% Disorderly Conduct
New York 69 67 97.1% Petit Larceny
Oswego 67 38 56.7% Disorderly Conduct
Bronx 53 53 100.0% Disorderly Conduct
Suffolk 52 41 78.8% Disorderly Conduct
St. Lawrence 43 4 9.3% Disorderly Conduct
Clinton 36 8 22.2% Drug Sale
Cattaraugus 29 18 62.1% Disorderly Conduct
Niagara 25 18 72.0% Disorderly Conduct
Broome 22 12 54.5% Disorderly Conduct
Albany 19 17 89.5% Disorderly Conduct
Richmond 18 18 100.0% Traffic Offense
Cayuga 16 10 62.5% Escape / Bail Jumping
Chautauqua 16 12 75.0% Disorderly Conduct
Jefferson 15 0 0.0% —
Montgomery 15 6 40.0% Disorderly Conduct
Ulster 13 9 69.2% Escape / Bail Jumping
Madison 12 2 16.7% Drug Possession
Oneida 12 5 41.7% Drug Possession
Steuben 12 2 16.7% Marijuana Offense
Onondaga 11 7 63.6% Disorderly Conduct
Westchester 11 10 90.9% Disorderly Conduct
Nassau 10 7 70.0% 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.

Drug Offense is reduced to a lesser charge in 65.6% of convictions statewide, based on 811 conviction records from DCJS Pretrial Release Data (2019–2024). This means that in roughly 66 out of every 100 convictions, the defendant pleads guilty to a different charge than originally arrested for.
The most common reduction for Drug Offense is to Disorderly Conduct, accounting for 31.2% of all reductions. This means when Drug Offense 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. Drug Offense reduction rates vary significantly across New York's 62 counties. Counties like Queens (100.0% reduction rate) and Kings (98.6%) 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. 811 conviction records analyzed for Drug Offense. Last updated March 2026. — NewYorkCourtFile.com

Next Step

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