The number of arrests for minor crimes increased significantly across the United States in 2025, even as violent crime rates declined, according to an analysis by the criminal justice organization FWD.us. The findings highlight a move toward stricter enforcement of lesser offenses, such as drug possession and immigration violations, despite reductions in more serious crimes like robbery and burglary.
Arrests for vagrancy, often tied to homelessness, grew by 44% between 2024 and 2025. Marijuana possession arrests rose by 6%, while arrests for other drug offenses climbed by 3%. Immigration-related arrests nearly tripled, reaching an average of 36,093 per month through July 2026, a rate four times higher than in 2024.
This pattern aligns with a broader shift in state policies, as several jurisdictions reversed earlier criminal justice reforms. In the 2025 midterm elections, voters in nearly a dozen states approved measures for stricter penalties and bail restrictions, reflecting broader public backing for harsher approaches.
Though violent crime arrests remain lower, the rise in low-level offenses differs sharply by state. Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada together accounted for over half of the national increase in vagrancy arrests. The Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson played a role, as it allowed local governments to enforce outdoor sleeping bans more aggressively. California and Oregon, which had rolled back some drug policy reforms in 2024, saw marijuana possession arrests jump by 24% and 39%, respectively.
Racial disparities in arrests persist. Black individuals faced marijuana possession arrests at more than four times the rate of white individuals in 2025. Arrests for these offenses among Black people increased by nearly 10% year-over-year, making up 83% of the national rise and 45% of all marijuana arrests nationwide.
The data does not establish a direct link between policy changes and the increases, nor does it confirm whether tougher enforcement enhances public safety. However, the report cautions that continued growth in low-level arrests could reverse progress in reducing incarceration rates and racial disparities, particularly as states debate future criminal justice policies.
Zoë Towns, executive director of FWD.us, emphasized that lawmakers still have time to shift direction.
