Millions of arrests are made every year in the United States. Some of them, which tend to be more serious or dramatic, often make the news. For instance, you may see news reports about people being arrested for murder or arson.

But these types of arrests are actually rather uncommon. They may be more dramatic and get more notoriety, but it's fairly unlikely that someone will be arrested on these grounds. Below are the three most common reasons for arrests.

1. Drug abuse violations

Drug charges are the most common reason for arrest in the United States. These include things like illegally possessing drugs, selling drugs, attempting to make illegal purchases and much more. Many drug arrests are for prescription medications, such as painkillers.

2. Impaired driving

Below drug arrests, you have impaired driving arrests. One important thing to note about this is that alcohol is not the only cause. Some people are arrested for driving under the influence of prescription medications or illegal drugs. In fact, even drugs that you can purchase and use legally – such as marijuana – could still lead to impaired driving charges.

3. Larceny theft

Theft charges are only slightly less common than impaired driving. Many of these are small-scale operations, such as people being arrested for shoplifting. But there are also major types of theft, and some people won't even be arrested until a consistent pattern of behavior has led them to steal tens of thousands of dollars worth of items.

Are you facing charges on any of these grounds? They happen to millions of people every year, and it's important for you to know exactly what legal defense options you have.

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