Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Federal Drug Prosecutions Fall to Lowest Level in Over 13 Years

Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse: “The monthly count of federal prosecutions for narcotics/drugs offenses has reached its lowest level since May 2000. The latest available data from the Justice Department show there were 1,487 new prosecutions in this category in January 2014, down 7.8 percent from the previous month and down 11.5 percent from the year before. The number observed during the most recent six month period appears to be the lowest seen since the end of the Reagan Administration. In per-capita terms, the Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) led the nation with 33.7 drug prosecutions per hundred thousand people, over seven times the national average of 4.7 prosecutions per hundred thousand. This district saw a dramatic rise from being ranked 54th just a year ago. In second place was the District of New Mexico with 32.8 prosecutions per hundred thousand, followed by the Southern District of California (San Diego) with 27.6 prosecutions per hundred thousand. Fourth ranked North Dakota, with 24.0 prosecutions per hundred thousand, was ranked 46th one year ago. For more details, including a timeline of prosecutions as well as top ranked lead charges, districts and judges, see the report.”

Leave a reply