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What Does Drug Possession Get Reduced To?

50,749 convictions analyzed · 27 reduction targets · DCJS Data (2019–2024)

According to 50,749 conviction records, Drug Possession is reduced to a lesser charge in 69.5% of cases. The most common reduction is to Disorderly Conduct (49.4% of reductions). Reduction rates vary across 60 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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69.5%
Reduction Rate
Disorderly Conduct
Most Common Target
50,749
Total Convictions

What Drug Possession Gets Reduced To

The 27 most common conviction charges when Drug Possession is reduced through a plea deal.

Conviction Charge Count % of Reductions
Disorderly Conduct 25,055 49.4%
Petit Larceny 2,269 4.5%
DWI / DUI 1,923 3.8%
Traffic Offense 1,610 3.2%
Other 1,525 3.0%
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 751 1.5%
Criminal Trespass 411 0.8%
Escape / Bail Jumping 313 0.6%
Drug Offense 165 0.3%
Marijuana Offense 161 0.3%
Criminal Contempt 132 0.3%
Drug Sale 120 0.2%
Identity Theft 116 0.2%
Official Misconduct 105 0.2%
Theft of Services 103 0.2%
Harassment 97 0.2%
Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 91 0.2%
Weapons Offense 77 0.2%
Assault 51 0.1%
Other Penal Law 33 0.1%
Burglary 33 0.1%
Obstruction 32 0.1%
Grand Larceny 26 0.1%
Forgery 21 0.0%
Robbery 14 0.0%
Public Lewdness 11 0.0%
Menacing 11 0.0%

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

Drug Possession Reduction Rates by County

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

County Convictions Reduced Reduction Rate Top Reduction
New York 6,971 4,904 70.3% Disorderly Conduct
Nassau 6,015 4,731 78.7% Disorderly Conduct
Suffolk 4,888 2,978 60.9% Disorderly Conduct
Bronx 4,214 3,516 83.4% Disorderly Conduct
Queens 3,848 3,141 81.6% Disorderly Conduct
Kings 3,657 3,231 88.4% Disorderly Conduct
Erie 2,932 2,332 79.5% Disorderly Conduct
Westchester 1,967 1,355 68.9% Disorderly Conduct
Richmond 1,749 1,188 67.9% Disorderly Conduct
Orange 1,343 1,169 87.0% Disorderly Conduct
Chautauqua 974 556 57.1% Disorderly Conduct
Niagara 922 440 47.7% Disorderly Conduct
Oneida 752 367 48.8% Disorderly Conduct
Chemung 742 169 22.8% Disorderly Conduct
Albany 722 545 75.5% Disorderly Conduct
Broome 715 287 40.1% Disorderly Conduct
Onondaga 677 274 40.5% Disorderly Conduct
Saratoga 500 334 66.8% Disorderly Conduct
Monroe 473 353 74.6% Disorderly Conduct
Cattaraugus 393 236 60.1% Disorderly Conduct
Warren 393 186 47.3% Disorderly Conduct
Ulster 364 217 59.6% Disorderly Conduct
Jefferson 355 154 43.4% Disorderly Conduct
Dutchess 334 238 71.3% Disorderly Conduct
Fulton 326 130 39.9% Disorderly Conduct
Rensselaer 323 202 62.5% Disorderly Conduct
Steuben 322 78 24.2% Disorderly Conduct
Clinton 317 116 36.6% Disorderly Conduct
Montgomery 303 145 47.9% Disorderly Conduct
Oswego 289 135 46.7% Disorderly Conduct
St. Lawrence 262 186 71.0% Disorderly Conduct
Schenectady 259 188 72.6% Disorderly Conduct
Madison 221 93 42.1% Disorderly Conduct
Chenango 188 51 27.1% Escape / Bail Jumping
Genesee 182 98 53.8% Disorderly Conduct
Cortland 172 100 58.1% Disorderly Conduct
Columbia 152 114 75.0% Disorderly Conduct
Ontario 142 62 43.7% Disorderly Conduct
Cayuga 137 36 26.3% Escape / Bail Jumping
Greene 128 79 61.7% Disorderly Conduct
Livingston 120 61 50.8% Disorderly Conduct
Otsego 113 54 47.8% Disorderly Conduct
Sullivan 97 63 64.9% Disorderly Conduct
Washington 87 39 44.8% Disorderly Conduct
Franklin 83 26 31.3% Escape / Bail Jumping
Rockland 80 69 86.2% Disorderly Conduct
Essex 72 24 33.3% Other
Putnam 63 48 76.2% Disorderly Conduct
Tompkins 57 37 64.9% Disorderly Conduct
Herkimer 50 19 38.0% Disorderly Conduct
Tioga 40 10 25.0% Disorderly Conduct
Seneca 38 14 36.8% DWI / DUI
Wyoming 38 24 63.2% DWI / DUI
Allegany 37 15 40.5% DWI / DUI
Delaware 30 19 63.3% Disorderly Conduct
Orleans 30 21 70.0% Escape / Bail Jumping
Wayne 29 19 65.5% Disorderly Conduct
Schoharie 22 7 31.8% Disorderly Conduct
Schuyler 21 9 42.9% Disorderly Conduct
Lewis 14 6 42.9% 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 Possession is reduced to a lesser charge in 69.5% of convictions statewide, based on 50,749 conviction records from DCJS Pretrial Release Data (2019–2024). This means that in roughly 70 out of every 100 convictions, the defendant pleads guilty to a different charge than originally arrested for.
The most common reduction for Drug Possession is to Disorderly Conduct, accounting for 49.4% of all reductions. This means when Drug Possession 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 Possession reduction rates vary significantly across New York's 62 counties. Counties like New York (70.3% reduction rate) and Nassau (78.7%) 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. 50,749 conviction records analyzed for Drug Possession. Last updated March 2026. — NewYorkCourtFile.com

Next Step

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