Drug Law Violations 1980 - 1999
US Department of Justice / Bureau of Justice Statistics 17may01
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Arrests and seizures
Arrests
Total estimated drug law violation arrests in the United States, 1980-99
Federal, State, and local agencies share responsibility for enforcing the Nation's drug laws, although most arrests are made by State and local authorities. In 1999 the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) estimated that there were 1,532,200 State and local arrests for drug abuse violations in the United States.
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1980 580,900 1981 559,900 1982 676,000 1983 661,400 1984 708,400 1985 811,400 1986 824,100 1987 937,400 1988 1,155,200 1989 1,361,700 1990 1,089,500 1991 1,010,000 1992 1,066,400 1993 1,126,300 1994 1,351,400 1995 1,476,100 1996 1,506,200 1997 1,583,600 1998 1,559,100 1999 1,532,200 Source: |
Estimated number of arrests, by type of drug law violation, 1982-99
According to the UCR, drug abuse violations are defined as State and/or local offenses relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs including opium or cocaine and their derivatives, marijuana, synthetic narcotics, and dangerous nonnarcotic drugs such as barbiturates. More than four-fifths of drug law violation arrests are for possession violations.
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Sale/
manufacture Possession
1982 135,200 540,800
1983 145,500 515,900
1984 155,800 552,600
1985 194,700 616,700
1986 206,000 618,100
1987 243,700 693,700
1988 311,900 843,300
1989 435,700 926,000
1990 348,600 740,900
1991 333,300 676,700
1992 341,200 725,200
1993 337,900 788,400
1994 364,900 986,500
1995 369,000 1,107,100
1996 376,600 1,129,700
1997 324,600 1,259,000
1998 330,500 1,228,600
1999 300,300 1,231,900
1999 300,300 1,231,900
Source: Crime in the United States, annual, Uniform Crime Reports |
Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports, Crime in the United States, annually.
Estimated arrests for drug abuse violations by age group, 1970-99
The number of arrests for drug abuse violations declined slightly from 1998 to 1999 for both adults and juveniles. Juveniles are defined as persons under age 18. Adults are defined as persons age 18 or older. In 1987 drug arrests were 7.4% of the total of all arrests reported to the FBI; by 1999, drug arrests had risen to 10.9% of all arrests.
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Adult Juvenile 1970 322,300 93,300 1971 383,900 108,100 1972 407,300 120,100 1973 463,600 165,300 1974 474,900 167,200 1975 456,000 145,400 1976 464,100 145,400 1977 493,300 149,400 1978 480,000 148,700 1979 435,600 123,000 1980 471,200 109,700 1981 468,100 91,800 1982 584,900 91,200 1983 583,500 77,900 1984 623,700 84,700 1985 718,600 92,800 1986 742,700 81,400 1987 849,500 87,900 1988 1,050,600 104,600 1989 1,247,800 113,900 1990 1,008,300 81,200 1991 931,900 78,100 1992 980,700 85,700 1993 1,017,800 108,500 1994 1,192,800 158,600 1995 1,285,700 190,400 1996 1,294,800 211,500 1997 1,363,500 220,100 1998 1,353,300 205,800 1999 1,337,600 194,600 Source: Crime in the United States, annual, Uniform Crime Reports |
Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports, Crime in the United States, annually.
In 1999, according to the UCR, law enforcement agencies nationwide made an estimated 14 million arrests for all criminal infractions except traffic violations. Among the specific categories, the highest arrest counts were for drug abuse violations, 1.5 million arrests; for driving under the influence, approximately 1.5 million arrests; and for larceny-thefts and simple assaults, 1.2 million arrests each. Drug abuse violations in 1999 accounted for an estimated 11% of all arrests.
Estimated totals of top 7 arrest offenses, United States, 1999Type of arrest Number of arrests* Total arrests* 14,031,100 Drug abuse violations 1,532,200 Driving under the influence 1,511,300 Simple assaults 1,294,400 Larceny/theft 1,189,400 Drunkenness 656,100 Disorderly conduct 633,100 Liquor laws 657,900
*Arrest totals are based on all reporting agencies and estimates for unreported areas.
Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports,
Crime in the
United States, annually.
From 1987 to 1999 more drug arrests involved heroin or cocaine than other types of drugs. In 1999 the number of arrests involving marijuana exceeded that for other types of drugs.
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Number of arrests, by drug type, 1982-99 Total numbers of arrests
Heroin/ Synthetic
cocaine Marijuana drugs Other
1982 87,900 486,700 27,000 81,100
1983 152,100 403,500 19,800 86,000
1984 184,200 418,000 21,300 85,000
1985 243,400 446,300 24,300 97,400
1986 337,900 362,600 24,700 107,100
1987 431,200 375,000 28,100 112,500
1988 600,700 392,800 34,700 127,100
1989 735,300 394,900 27,200 204,300
1990 588,300 326,900 21,800 152,500
1991 555,500 282,800 20,200 141,400
1992 565,200 341,200 21,300 138,600
1993 563,200 382,900 22,500 157,700
1994 635,200 486,500 27,000 216,200
1995 620,000 590,400 29,500 236,200
1996 602,500 647,700 30,100 241,000
1997 565,300 695,200 41,200 283,500
1998 570,600 682,900 45,200 260,400
1999 528,600 704,800 47,500 251,300
Source: Crime in the United States, annual, Uniform Crime Reports |
Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports, Crime in the United States, annually.
The total number of arrests for drug violations declined slightly from 1998 to 1999.
Arrests for drug abuse violations, by geographic region, 1999
Percent of arrests for drug abuse violations Type of violations U.S.Total Northeast Midwest South West Total* 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % Sale/manufacture* 19.5 % 26.7 % 19.8 % 16.6 % 18.3 % Heroin or cocaine 10.0 19.6 6.6 8.5 7.5 Marijuana 5.5 5.7 8.2 4.7 5.0 Synthetic or manufactured drugs 1.2 0.7 0.7 2.1 0.8 Other dangerous nonnarcotic drugs 2.9 0.7 4.2 1.2 4.9 Possession* 80.5 % 73.3 % 80.2 % 83.4 % 81.7 % Heroin or cocaine 24.5 29.2 15.1 22.0 27.4 Marijuana 40.5 39.7 51.2 52.8 27.8 Synthetic or manufactured drugs 1.9 1.3 1.5 2.4 2.0 Other dangerous nonnarcotic drugs 13.5 3.0 12.5 6.2 24.5
*Because of rounding, percentages may not add to total. Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports, Crime in the United States, annually.
Drug seizures
Many Federal agencies are involved in removal of illicit drugs from the market. The Federal-wide Drug Seizure System (FDSS) reflects the combined drug seizure efforts of the DEA, FBI, U.S. Customs Service, and U.S. Border Patrol within the jurisdiction of the United States, as well as maritime seizures by the U.S. Coast Guard. FDSS eliminates duplicate reporting of a seizure involving more than one Federal agency.
Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy, as reported in
Fact Sheet: Drug Data Summary, NCJ 172873, April 1999.
Drug seizures, as reported in the FDSS for fiscal year 1996 through 1999.
Seizures in pounds Drug FY 1996 FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999 Total 1,718,552 1,796,863 2,051,783 2,621,510 Heroin 3,373 3,121 3,517 2,788 Cocaine 253,297 252,329 265,997 290,756 Marijuana 1,429,786 1,488,362 1,781,673 2,326,286 Hashish 32,096 53,051 596 1,681
Note: Table constructed by staff of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal-wide Drug Seizure System (FDSS), Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 1999, NCJ 183727, October 2000.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) --
- the Federal government seized 13,007 illegal drug laboratories between fiscal years 1975 and 1999
- in fiscal year 1999, of the 2,091 labs seized, 2,052 (98%) manufactured methamphetamines
- in 1999 the DEA program for eradicating domestic marijuana resulted in
the destruction of 3.4 million plants in 61,276 plots, 11,922 arrests,
3,707 weapons seized, and assets seized valued at $26.9 million.
Source: Data provided by U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration as reported in the BJS, Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 1999, NCJ 183727, October 2000.
Law enforcement operations
Federal agencies
As of June 1998 Federal agencies employed about 83,000 full-time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms, according to data provided by agencies in responses to a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) survey. Compared with data reported by agencies for June 1996, employment of such personnel in 1998 was up about 8,000, or 11%.
The DEA employed 3,305 officers with the authority to make arrests and carry firearms. These DEA agents primarily investigate major narcotics violators, enforce regulations governing the manufacturing and dispensing of controlled substances, and perform various other functions in support of drug trafficking prevention and control.
The FBI employed 11,285 full-time personnel with arrest and firearms authorities. These agents investigate more than 250 types of Federal crimes. The FBI has concurrent jurisdiction with the DEA over drug offenses under the Controlled Substances Act.
Source: BJS, Federal Law Enforcement Officers, 1998, NCJ 177607, February 2000.
State agencies
Among those State agencies with 100 or more officers, 76% operated a
full-time
drug enforcement unit in 1999.
Local agencies
Of those local agencies with 100 or more officers a large percentage operated a full-time drug enforcement unit in 1999.
Special drug unit operation participation of agencies with primary drug enforcement responsibility:
Agencies with 100 Type of agency or more officers County police 90 % Municipal police departments 99 Sheriffs' departments 95Source: BJS, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1999: Data for Individual State and Local Agencies with 100 or More Officers, NCJ 184481, November 2000.
In 1997 many larger local law enforcement agencies operated special units with
personnel assigned full-time to address specific community problems. Eighty
percent of local agencies had a full-time unit for drug education in schools.
Source: BJS, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997: Data for Individual State and Local Agencies with 100 or More Officers, NCJ 171681, April 1999.
In 1997 about 7 in 8 local police departments had primary responsibility for
the enforcement of drug laws in their jurisdiction. More than 90% of the
departments in each population category of 10,000 or more had drug enforcement
responsibilities, including all of those serving a population of 250,000 or
more. Departments with drug enforcement responsibilities employed 97% of all
local police officers.
Source: BJS, Local Police Departments, 1997, NCJ 173429,
February 2000.
In 1997 an estimated 87% of all sheriffs' departments had primary responsibility for drug enforcement in their jurisdiction. More than 90% of departments in jurisdictions with a population of less than 25,000 were responsible for drug enforcement, compared to 59% of those in jurisdictions with 500,000 to 999,999 residents.
Source: BJS, Sheriffs' Departments, 1997, NCJ 173428,
February 2000.
Drug enforcement responsibilities of local police and sheriffs' departments, by size of population served, 1997
Type of agency and Percent of agencies with population population served primary responsibility Local police departments All sizes 88 % 1,000,000 or more 100 % 500,000-999,999 100 250,000-499,999 100 100,000-249,999 99 50,000-99,999 99 25,000-49,999 95 10,000-24,999 93 2,500-9,999 90 Under 2,500 82 Sheriffs' departments All sizes 87 % 1,000,000 or more 79 % 500,000-999,999 59 250,000-499,999 78 100,000-249,999 79 50,000-99,999 79 25,000-49,999 88 10,000-24,999 92 Under 10,000 93Source: BJS, Local Police Departments, 1997, NCJ 173429, February 2000, and Sheriffs' Departments, 1997, NCJ 173428, February 2000.
Multiagency task force
About three-fourths of county police (77%), municipal police (76%), and sheriffs' departments (75%) participated in a multi-agency drug enforcement task force during 1997, as did about half of the State police agencies.
Source: BJS, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997: Data for Individual State and Local Agencies with 100 or More Officers, NCJ 171681, April 1999.
In 1997 about a third of local police departments had one or more officers assigned to a multiagency drug enforcement task force. About two-thirds of all local police officers worked for a department that assigned officers to a task force. About 6,200 officers were assigned full time, and another 3,200 on a part-time basis.
The number of officers assigned full time ranged from 27 in departments serving a population of 1 million or more to about 2 in those serving fewer than 50,000 residents.
Source: BJS, Local Police Departments 1997, NCJ 173429,
February 2000.
In 1997 half of sheriffs' departments, employing two-thirds of all officers, assigned 1 or more officers to a multiagency drug enforcement task force. About 2,900 officers were assigned full time, and 1,100 on a part-time basis. The number of full-time task force officers ranged from 10 in departments serving 1 million or more residents to 1 in those serving fewer than 10,000 residents.
Source: BJS, Sheriffs' Departments 1997, NCJ 173428,
February 2000.
Multiagency drug enforcement task force participation of local police and sheriffs' departments, by size of population served, 1997
Percent of Number of officers agencies assigned full time Population served participating Total Average* Local police departments All sizes 31 % 6,205 2 1,000,000 or more 94 % 412 27 500,000-999,999 88 308 15 250,000-499,999 83 345 9 100,000-249,999 82 554 4 50,000-99,999 74 708 3 25,000-49,999 65 699 2 10,000-24,999 50 1,122 2 2,500-9,999 34 1,305 1 Under 2,500 15 750 2 Sheriffs' departments All sizes 50 % 2,886 2 1,000,000 or more 61 % 190 10 500,000-999,999 68 264 7 250,000-499,999 63 254 4 100,000-249,999 76 496 2 50,000-99,999 67 494 2 25,000-49,999 55 515 2 10,000-24,999 46 548 2 Under 10,000 27 124 1*Excludes agencies not having a unit with full-time officers.
Source: BJS, Local Police Departments 1997, NCJ 173429, February 2000 and Sheriffs' Departments 1997, NCJ 173428, February 2000
In 1994, 46% of all prosecutors' offices indicated that at least one prosecutor has been a member of a multijurisdictional task force. Of offices on such a task force, 76% indicated drug enforcement to be the goal. In 1992, 30% of prosecutors' offices reported involvement with a multijurisdictional task force. Almost 80% of these offices also were involved with a drug task force.
Source: BJS, Prosecutors in State Courts, 1992 and 1994,
NCJ 145319, June 1996.
Over 80% of full-time offices in large jurisdictions had at least one prosecutor who served as a member of a multijurisdictional task force. The percentages of full-time large offices with at least one prosecutor serving on a multi-jurisdictional task force were --
Drug 91 % Gang 54 Crime prevention 41 Organized crime 28
Source: BJS, Prosecutors in State Courts, 1992 and 1994,
NCJ 145319, June 1996.
Drug testing for applicants
State agencies
In 1997, 82% of State agencies with 100 or more officers use drug test
screening
as one of their procedures for selecting new officer recruits.
Local agencies
In 1997, the majority of local agencies with 100 or more officers use drug test screenings as a part of the selecting procedures for hiring new officer recruits.
Percent of agencies using Type of local agency drug test screening County police 100 % Municipal police departments 86 Sheriffs' departments 85
Source: BJS, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 1997: Data for Individual State and Local Agencies with 100 or More Officers, NCJ 171681, April 1999.
In 1997 about 3 in 5 local police departments had some type of program that
authorized the testing of regular field and patrol officers for illegal drug
use. These departments employed 84% of all local police officers.
At least 8 in 10 departments in each population category of 25,000 or more had a
drug testing program for officers. About 7 in 10 departments serving a
population of 2,500 to 24,999, and 5 in 10 departments serving fewer than 2,500
residents did also.
Source: BJS, Local Police Departments, 1997, NCJ 173429, February 2000.
In 1997 about three-fifths of sheriffs' departments had some type of program
that authorized the testing of regular field and patrol officers for illegal
drug use. These departments employed 84% of all sheriffs' officers.
Departments serving a population of 100,000 or more were the most likely to have
a drug testing program for officers, with percentages in these categories
ranging from 77% to 87%. Departments serving a population of less than 10,000
(45%) were the least likely to test any officers for drug use.
Source: BJS, Sheriffs' Departments, 1997, NCJ 173428, February 2000.
Percent of agencies with a drug testing program
Any type Random
Type of type and of testing Mandatory selection Use of drugs
population served program (all are tested) process is suspected
Local police departments
(sworn positions)
All sizes 61 % 22 % 16 % 31 %
1,000,000 or more 87 % 6 % 62 % 62 %
500,000-999,999 83 8 54 67
250,000-499,999 87 17 41 63
100,000-249,999 85 18 33 60
50,000-99,999 83 21 20 56
25,000-49,999 80 19 18 57
10,000-24,999 73 24 16 44
2,500-9,999 68 26 20 32
Under 2,500 49 20 12 21
Sheriffs' departments
(sworn positions)
All sizes 61 % 23 % 20 % 25 %
1,000,000 or more 86 % 32 % 25 % 46 %
500,000-999,999 77 16 22 61
250,000-499,999 87 35 16 39
100,000-249,999 83 31 24 40
50,000-99,999 71 29 21 27
25,000-49,999 65 26 23 26
10,000-24,999 56 21 21 20
Under 10,000 45 16 16 19
Note: Some agencies had more than one type of testing.
Source: BJS, Local Police Departments, 1997, NCJ 173429, February 2000 and Sheriffs' Departments, 1997 NCJ 173428, February 2000.
source: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/dcf/enforce.htm
25aug01
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