There are a variety of legal situations that require the representation of an experienced criminal defense attorney. These include burglary and theft, drug possession charges, weapons offenses, and a substantial list of violent crimes, such as assault and rape.
During 2014, for example, various law enforcement agencies reported that an estimated 1,165,383 violent crimes were committed. These consisted of the following types of crimes:
- Aggravated assaults
- Murder
- Non-negligent homicides
- Rapes
- Robberies
Crimes Committed While Driving Under the Influence
Other crimes resulted as a result of individuals operating motor vehicles while intoxicated or under the influence of another substance. Approximately 16% of motor vehicle crashes occur as a result of drivers using legal as well as illegal pharmaceuticals.
In 2014 alone, there were more than 1.1 million drivers arrested because they were operating their vehicles while under the influence of either alcohol or narcotics. There were 1,117,852 arrests made for driving under the influence. Drug abuse violations, however, accounted for 1,561,231 of the arrests that occurred.
In these instances, consulting with a criminal defense attorney, drug possession attorney, and/or a DWI attorney would be an appropriate course of action. A drug possession attorney’s services may also be beneficial when someone is driving while under the influence of a physician-prescribed drug.
Crimes Committed During Burglaries
There were 1,238,190 arrests made for larceny-theft during 2014. When committing a home robbery, most burglars are able to enter and leave in less than 10 minutes. Security systems do make a significant difference in whether or not a home is robbed, however. It was determined that approximately 60% of convicted burglars chose to target another house after noticing a security system was present.
In many instances, household members are present during burglaries. The U.S. Department of Justice conducted a crime victimization survey that showed this was the case for 28% of burglaries. In 7% of these cases, household members were also the victims of violent crimes.
Law enforcement reported that there were approximately 8,277,829 property crimes during 2014. As a result of these crimes, victims suffered financial losses estimated at $14.3 billion:
- Burglaries
- Larceny-thefts
- Motor vehicle thefts
Crimes Involving Weapons
During burglaries and other situations, criminals are more likely to carry handguns rather than assault weapons. Recent data shows that they are more than 5 times more likely to choose this type of single-shot weapon.
While aggravated assaults comprised 63.6% of the violent crimes that were reported in 2014, these may or may not have involved a firearm or other type of weapon.
Arrests Made During 2014
During 2014, police made an estimated total of 11,205,833 arrests. These included arrests for the following types of crimes:
- Violent crimes: 498,666
- Property crimes: 1,553,980
Given the prevalence of these and other types of crimes, many of which do result in arrests being made, having the appropriate legal counsel is recommended. Whether a drug possession attorney or another type of counsel is needed, it’s important to contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.