Line chart with four lines: number of defendants prosecuted in U.S. district courts who were charged with (1) drug offenses, (2) public-order offenses such as weapons, immigration, and tax offenses, (3) property offenses, and (4) violent offenses for the period 1980 through 2004.

For violent offenses, the number of defendants prosecuted began at 2,871 in 1980 and rose to 3,111 in 1982. After 1982, the number fell to 2,697 in 1988, before rising to 3,601 in 1992. Then it fell to a low of 2,927 in 2002, and has increased to 2,962 in 2004.

For property offenses, the number of defendants prosecuted began at 13,544 in 1980 and increased to 17,521 in 1997. The number has decreased modestly since 1997 to 15,774 in 2004.

For drug offenses, the number of defendants prosecuted began at 7,119 in 1980 and increased to 30,775 in 2002. The number then decreased, reaching 29,309 in 2004.

For public order offenses, the number of defendants prosecuted began at 15,638 in 1980 and gradually increased to 20,361 in 1997. Then the number increased steadily to a high of 35,346 in 2004.