Adults charged with unlawful possession or use of drugs in New Zealand
By outcome, 1980–2025, number of charges
| Calendar Year | Outcome | Number of charges |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Total | 14,431 |
| 2021 | Convicted | 3,559 |
| 2002 | Total | 11,294 |
| 2015 | Total | 6,338 |
| 2022 | Total | 5,143 |
| 1994 | Total | 12,204 |
| 2024 | Total | 6,959 |
| 1980 | Total | 5,108 |
| 1987 | Total | 10,345 |
| 2008 | Convicted | 8,553 |
| 2001 | Total | 11,755 |
| 2016 | Total | 7,035 |
| 2024 | Convicted | 5,009 |
| 2023 | Total | 5,706 |
| 1995 | Total | 10,537 |
| 1993 | Convicted | 9,202 |
| 1986 | Convicted | 9,148 |
| 2000 | Convicted | 8,956 |
| 2009 | Convicted | 9,782 |
| 2002 | Convicted | 7,752 |
| 2007 | Convicted | 8,079 |
| 1989 | Total | 9,792 |
| 2017 | Total | 8,154 |
| 1998 | Convicted | 9,430 |
| 1984 | Convicted | 7,146 |
| 1980 | Convicted | 4,533 |
| 2007 | Total | 12,189 |
| 1999 | Convicted | 9,393 |
| 2003 | Total | 11,692 |
| 1988 | Total | 10,800 |
| 2023 | Convicted | 4,122 |
| 2021 | Total | 5,076 |
| 2022 | Convicted | 3,660 |
| 2003 | Convicted | 8,022 |
| 1990 | Convicted | 7,948 |
| 1993 | Total | 11,389 |
| 2004 | Convicted | 7,642 |
| 1984 | Total | 8,082 |
| 1998 | Total | 12,980 |
| 1985 | Convicted | 8,347 |
| 2025 | Total | 8,354 |
| 2012 | Convicted | 6,458 |
| 1994 | Convicted | 9,362 |
| 1982 | Convicted | 5,501 |
| 2017 | Convicted | 6,175 |
| 2010 | Convicted | 9,150 |
| 1989 | Convicted | 8,446 |
| 2005 | Total | 11,076 |
| 2020 | Total | 7,812 |
| 2013 | Total | 6,947 |
| 1988 | Convicted | 9,544 |
| 1995 | Convicted | 7,745 |
| 1999 | Total | 13,127 |
| 2006 | Total | 11,864 |
| 1992 | Total | 9,499 |
| 2025 | Convicted | 6,080 |
| 1981 | Convicted | 4,198 |
| 2018 | Convicted | 6,104 |
| 2019 | Total | 8,249 |
| 2012 | Total | 8,842 |
| 1990 | Total | 9,491 |
| 2013 | Convicted | 5,136 |
| 2004 | Total | 11,912 |
| 2020 | Convicted | 5,810 |
| 1985 | Total | 9,277 |
| 2011 | Total | 9,868 |
| 1983 | Total | 6,429 |
| 1997 | Total | 11,501 |
| 1991 | Convicted | 7,908 |
| 1987 | Convicted | 9,073 |
| 1982 | Total | 6,221 |
| 2008 | Total | 12,621 |
| 2001 | Convicted | 8,183 |
| 2016 | Convicted | 5,436 |
| 2014 | Convicted | 4,636 |
| 1996 | Total | 10,281 |
| 2006 | Convicted | 7,924 |
| 1981 | Total | 4,866 |
| 2015 | Convicted | 4,802 |
| 2014 | Total | 6,264 |
| 2018 | Total | 7,942 |
| 1986 | Total | 10,240 |
| 1992 | Convicted | 7,535 |
| 2011 | Convicted | 7,285 |
| 1996 | Convicted | 7,386 |
| 1997 | Convicted | 8,510 |
| 2000 | Total | 12,730 |
| 1983 | Convicted | 5,650 |
| 2005 | Convicted | 7,351 |
| 1991 | Total | 9,842 |
| 2019 | Convicted | 6,131 |
| 2010 | Total | 13,012 |
Definitions
Outcome: refers to the final disposition of charges finalised in the High Court and District Court.
Total outcomes: Convicted + Not proved + Other proved + Other.
Convicted: only charges finalised in the District or High Court can result in the offender being convicted.
Other proved: Discharge without conviction + diversion. These charges are not recorded as convictions.
Not proved: Dismissed + Discharged + Withdrawn + Acquitted + Other not proved.
For more information
Limitations of the data
Changes to legislation can have a significant effect on the time series.
Changes to data collection/processing
From July 2025 the revision to categorise offences in the reporting of criminal justice data (ANZSOC v2.0.0) was implemented.
The variation in the number of Discharge, Dismissal and Acquittal charge outcomes in 2016 is the result of changes made to the available charge outcome options in the Court Case Management System. This change occurred as part of the implementation of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 for charges initiated since July 2013.
Until 1 July 2019, the definition of adults included 17-year-olds. The age threshold is currently 18.
Data provided by
Dataset name
Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics: Charges prosecuted against adults by offence type 2025 calendar year
Webpage:
How to find the data
Data is displayed at URL provided. To replicate the dataset used here, go to Customise -> Selection -> select (Court -> Total Regions) only for regions and then select all variables.
To download select 'Export' and choose desired download format.
Import & extraction details
File as imported: Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics: Charges prosecuted against adults by offence type 2025 calendar year
From the dataset Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics: Charges prosecuted against adults by offence type 2025 calendar year, this data was extracted:
- Rows: 2-36,226
- Column: 13
- Provided: 36,225 data points
This data forms the table Crime - Charges prosecuted against adults by offence type 1980–2025.
Dataset originally released on:
March 17, 2026
About this dataset
Charge statistics measure the volume and type of offences processed by courts. The statistics provide information on the numbers of offences prosecuted each year.
Method of collection/Data provider
The data was sourced from the courts' operational data systems. The Law Enforcement System (formerly known as the Wanganui Computer and used by justice agencies from the late 1970s until 2005) was used as the source of these data up to 2003. From 2004, the source of these data was the Case Management System (CMS) of the Ministry of Justice. From 29 April 2016, Stats NZ sources courts data from the new Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), rather than the justice sector data warehouse (ISIS) used over recent years. Changes in data processing may cause small differences if you compare current output with similar results produced before 29 April.