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What Does Obstruction Get Reduced To?

5,233 convictions analyzed · 15 reduction targets · DCJS Data (2019–2024)

According to 5,233 conviction records, Obstruction is reduced to a lesser charge in 58.6% of cases. The most common reduction is to Disorderly Conduct (29.0% of reductions). Reduction rates vary across 45 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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58.6%
Reduction Rate
Disorderly Conduct
Most Common Target
5,233
Total Convictions

What Obstruction Gets Reduced To

The 15 most common conviction charges when Obstruction is reduced through a plea deal.

Conviction Charge Count % of Reductions
Disorderly Conduct 1,517 29.0%
Criminal Contempt 551 10.5%
Drug Possession 326 6.2%
Other 124 2.4%
Harassment 104 2.0%
Assault 93 1.8%
Traffic Offense 91 1.7%
Petit Larceny 73 1.4%
Official Misconduct 48 0.9%
Escape / Bail Jumping 45 0.9%
DWI / DUI 29 0.6%
Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 23 0.4%
Criminal Trespass 19 0.4%
Menacing 14 0.3%
Aggravated Harassment 10 0.2%

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

Obstruction Reduction Rates by County

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

County Convictions Reduced Reduction Rate Top Reduction
Queens 1,323 675 51.0% Disorderly Conduct
New York 527 404 76.7% Disorderly Conduct
Westchester 404 200 49.5% Disorderly Conduct
Kings 366 311 85.0% Disorderly Conduct
Nassau 332 259 78.0% Disorderly Conduct
Erie 163 141 86.5% Criminal Contempt
Bronx 148 117 79.1% Disorderly Conduct
Warren 129 22 17.1% Disorderly Conduct
Genesee 116 25 21.6% Disorderly Conduct
Orange 114 66 57.9% Disorderly Conduct
Monroe 107 87 81.3% Criminal Contempt
Chautauqua 106 82 77.4% Criminal Contempt
Albany 104 70 67.3% Disorderly Conduct
Richmond 98 79 80.6% Disorderly Conduct
Steuben 88 30 34.1% Drug Possession
Schenectady 87 47 54.0% Disorderly Conduct
Saratoga 82 50 61.0% Criminal Contempt
Suffolk 71 50 70.4% Disorderly Conduct
Niagara 69 39 56.5% Disorderly Conduct
Broome 64 32 50.0% Drug Possession
Dutchess 64 22 34.4% Disorderly Conduct
Montgomery 52 21 40.4% Disorderly Conduct
Ontario 49 26 53.1% Disorderly Conduct
Rensselaer 48 30 62.5% Criminal Contempt
Onondaga 44 30 68.2% Drug Possession
Ulster 36 20 55.6% Criminal Contempt
Livingston 34 17 50.0% Drug Possession
Cattaraugus 32 20 62.5% Drug Possession
Jefferson 31 19 61.3% Criminal Contempt
Washington 30 7 23.3% Disorderly Conduct
Chemung 23 14 60.9% Criminal Contempt
Essex 22 7 31.8% Drug Possession
Cayuga 20 9 45.0% Criminal Contempt
Fulton 20 13 65.0% Drug Possession
Wyoming 18 4 22.2% Other
Oneida 17 9 52.9% Criminal Contempt
Schoharie 16 1 6.2% Aggravated Harassment
Clinton 15 8 53.3% Drug Possession
Sullivan 14 4 28.6% Traffic Offense
Oswego 13 6 46.2% Disorderly Conduct
Franklin 12 3 25.0% Other Penal Law
Otsego 11 4 36.4% Drug Possession
St. Lawrence 11 9 81.8% Disorderly Conduct
Tompkins 11 7 63.6% Assault
Wayne 11 5 45.5% 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.

Obstruction is reduced to a lesser charge in 58.6% of convictions statewide, based on 5,233 conviction records from DCJS Pretrial Release Data (2019–2024). This means that in roughly 59 out of every 100 convictions, the defendant pleads guilty to a different charge than originally arrested for.
The most common reduction for Obstruction is to Disorderly Conduct, accounting for 29.0% of all reductions. This means when Obstruction 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. Obstruction reduction rates vary significantly across New York's 62 counties. Counties like Queens (51.0% reduction rate) and New York (76.7%) 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. 5,233 conviction records analyzed for Obstruction. Last updated March 2026. — NewYorkCourtFile.com

Next Step

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