You may have heard that Houston has a high crime rate compared to other cities in Texas. In many ways, that’s true.
The 2024 Crime in Texas report, published by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), gave Houston a crime rate of 5,545.5 per 100,000 residents, making it the highest in Texas, slightly outpacing San Antonio (5,318.2).
How likely are you to be arrested for a drug-related or violent crime in Houston?
The truth is complex and worth exploring.
According to data, Houston leads Texas cities in criminal charges and convictions, especially violent ones.
Let’s get this out of the way before we get into thorny issues like prosecutorial overreach: Houston has more crime than the state average. That same Crime in Texas report gave Texas as a whole a crime rate of 2,491.2, less than half of Houston.
Since 2021, Houston has consistently ranked either first or second among Texas cities.
Violent crime makes up a significant portion of that.
Around 16% of crimes under the jurisdiction of the Houston Police Department are considered violent. In 2024, the violent crime rate was 1,162.5, a slight increase from the year before. That’s high compared to similar cities.
In Dallas, violent crime makes up 7% of crime; in Austin, it’s 4.8%.
Houston has been designated a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) by the federal government.
The Federal government considers Houston a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), one of four in Texas. A 2009 report from the Office of National Drug Policy outlines why:
“Houston is a key distribution and transshipment area for illicit drugs supplied to drug markets in the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast, and a consolidation area for the smuggling of illicit drug proceeds into Mexico.”
Houston’s status as an HIDTA means that authorities prioritize drug trafficking in and around the city. Law enforcement is laser-focused on finding and prosecuting drug cases, and many of those cases will involve traffic stops and vehicle searches.
Houston receives federal funding for multi-agency task forces to combat drug crime and has extra cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement.
In short, Houston puts extra resources and focus on fighting drug trafficking and distribution.
But despite its reputation, drug crime in Houston is lower than in many cities.
It may surprise you to learn that per capita drug crime in Texas isn’t high in the same way that overall or violent crime is.
The drug-related crime rate in the Houston area is 3.22, putting it below both the state average and other major Texas cities. By comparison, both Dallas and Austin have significantly higher rates, with Dallas at 5.89 and Austin at 4.64. For all of Texas, the average is 4.53.
House Bill 6 could change the calculus.
In 2023, Texas passed House Bill 6, which allows prosecutors to charge accused drug dealers with murder if they deliver fentanyl that causes a fatal overdose. To date, eight individuals have been charged under this statute, with one conviction.
So, there hasn’t been a big impact from the bill just yet.
Houston PD is working more aggressively to pursue drug crime than at any time in the past decade.
Most arrests for drug crimes result in a conviction.
In the US, conviction rates are typically around 75%, but that includes many cases that are resolved through plea agreements rather than trials.
The city of Houston and Harris County don’t publish enough data to determine their specific conviction rates, so for now, we only have national figures to go on.
Sentencing in Texas is determined by several factors.
Here in Texas, the penalties for drug offenses vary based on the type and amount of the substance and the kind of crime.
Group 1 drugs like fentanyl and heroin have the most severe punishments. Penalties for a first-degree felony, like manufacture or delivery, can result in life imprisonment and fines up to $250,000.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, possession of a small amount of marijuana or a group 4 drug can result in a fine of up to $2,000 and/or up to 180 days in county jail.
For drug trafficking, prison is likely.
In the US, around 70% of those convicted of drug trafficking (more serious than other drug crimes) receive a prison sentence.
On average, they’ll be sentenced to five years and, of that, serve two years and four months.
Conviction is not a foregone conclusion with competent legal counsel.
If you’ve been charged with a crime, many of these statistics could look scary. But even though most drug-related arrests lead to convictions, remember that not every case ends that way.
Defendants can be acquitted, have charges dropped, get probation, or receive diversion programs like counseling.
And with Houston PD’s history of overreach, a competent attorney may be able to find an instance of improper police conduct that could result in a dismissal.
Houston’s dark history of police overreach—what it means for you.
Too many people facing violent crime charges and drug charges in Houston have experienced what is part of a tragic history of police overreach, where officers make arrests beyond what the law allows.
The Harding Street Raid shows the danger of aggressive policing.
Some of the most significant lessons in terms of Houston policing come from the Harding Street raid, a 2019 narcotics operation gone awry.
Police lied to obtain a no-knock warrant, and after initiating it, killed the husband and wife homeowners.
Houston PD officer Gerald Goines was convicted of felony murder. After his conviction, it was determined that numerous arrests made under his supervision were tainted due to false affidavits and unreliable evidence. As a result, 160 of his cases have been dismissed.
Police and prosecutorial overreach matter for defendants.
Houston’s aggressive drug enforcement policies raise the likelihood of wrongful arrests and convictions. Criminal defendants in Houston must work with a lawyer who will vigorously protect their rights.
Facing drug charges in Houston? Call Gold Legal, PLLC.
If you are facing drug or violent crime charges in Houston, act quickly to secure legal representation.
At Gold Legal, PLLC, we review every case to look for police misconduct, prosecutorial overreach, or legal flaws that could lead to dismissal. We will work to ensure your rights are protected from the very beginning.
— Kandi Gilder, Attorney at Law
