New York is a tough city full of people, so there are many crimes that take place in the Big Apple. Interestingly enough, reports show that violent crime in New York has actually dropped in recent years due to the fact that there are more NYPD officials patrolling the streets and enforcing harsh penalties on violent crime offenders in the area. In the year 2012, there were 414 reported homicides in the state, which is the lowest number since 1963.
In 2005, New York City was declared the lowest crime rate in the Top 10 Largest Cities in the United States and dangerous neighborhoods have now been declared very safe. In 2007, the city installed cameras and roadblocks to detect, teach, and deter criminals and particularly terrorist in the United States.
On the other hand, one of the most common crimes in New York at present is drug possession. More and more attorneys are seeing clients come in with misdemeanor and felony drug charges. According to the Atlantic Wire, in 2010 there was a trend for marijuana possession. That year, there were 50,377 arrests for those in criminal possession of marijuana to the 5th degree within the city. This was a spike from the 46,492 arrests in 2009 for the same crime. The Associated Press reported that one out of every seven arrests in New York City in 2010 was for marijuana possession.
If you are charged with marijuana possession in New York, then you can expect to receive a noteworthy sentence. While marijuana is not technically a controlled substance in the state, there are still certain penalties for possession and sale of marijuana. Oftentimes an arrest for the sale of marijuana will be a lot more serious than possession for the sale of the item.
Marijuana Penalties in New York
Typically, possession of less than eight ounces of marijuana is a misdemeanor. At most, an offender can merit one year in jail. Possession of over eight ounces of marijuana can be considered a felony and over 10 pounds of the substance can result to up to 15 years in jail.
Selling marijuana can also come with significant penalties.
Selling less than two grams of the substance will result in three months of incarceration, while more than one pound the drug can come with a 15 year prison sentence. As well, selling marijuana to a minor in New York can come with seven years. Trafficking any amount of marijuana is also considered a felony and can lead to 15 to 25 years in prison. It is very important to remember the charges associated with marijuana and to hire an experienced and reliable New York criminal defense attorney if you are caught committing this crime and need assistance at your trial.