Domestic Violence Arrests and Convictions in Nevada: The Data

What counts as “domestic violence” under Nevada law?

Nevada prosecutes most incidents as “battery which constitutes domestic violence” when the alleged victim is a current or former spouse or dating partner, certain relatives, a co-parent, or a child in the household. The statute sets out graduated penalties, mandatory counseling, and firearm prohibitions on conviction.

Penalty snapshot (NRS 200.485)

• 1st offense (within 7 years): Misdemeanor; 2–180 days jail, $200–$1,000 fine, 48–120 hours community service, at least 6 months of weekly counseling.

• 2nd offense (within 7 years): Misdemeanor; 20–180 days jail, $500–$1,000 fine, 100–200 hours community service, 12 months counseling.

• 3rd offense (within 7 years): Category B felony; 1–6 years in state prison and $1,000–$5,000 fine.

• Aggravators: Strangulation (Category C felony), substantial bodily harm (Category B felony), or known pregnancy (gross misdemeanor first, Category B felony thereafter). Courts must also give firearm-possession warnings and order surrender/transfer on qualifying convictions.

Arrests: what the numbers show

• Mandatory arrest rule: Officers must arrest the primary physical aggressor when they have probable cause, with limited exceptions. Timing depends on whether they met the suspect at the scene (24 hours) or not (7 days).

• 12-hour cooling-off period: After a domestic-violence arrest, no bail is allowed for 12 hours.

Recent Nevada/Clark County activity

• Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported 17,898 domestic-violence police reports in 2024, down from 18,165 in 2023.

• Statewide, Nevada’s 2024 domestic-violence crime rate was 8.5 per 1,000 population, down from 8.9 the prior year.

Convictions: why they’re harder to count

Unlike arrest totals, Nevada does not publish a single, statewide “domestic violence conviction rate” dashboard. Arrest data flow to the state repository via mandatory police reports, but case outcomes live in county and municipal court systems.

If you need conviction trends:

• Clark County (Las Vegas Justice Court): Public case portals and court reports provide data on domestic violence dockets.

• LVMPD weekly stats: Helpful for short-term arrest trends.

• Nevada DPS annual reports: Summarize statewide crime, but convictions are generally tracked court-by-court.

How an arrest becomes (or doesn’t become) a conviction

1. Arrest & 12-hour hold → Initial appearance/bail after the hold expires.

2. Charging decisions by prosecutors: charges may be upgraded (e.g., strangulation or substantial bodily harm).

3. Pre-trial: negotiations, protective orders, mandated counseling evaluations.

4. Trial or plea: Misdemeanor convictions bring jail, fines, counseling, and firearm impacts; felony convictions carry prison exposure and stricter firearm prohibitions.

Nevada vs. the U.S.: context

Nevada has long ranked high nationally for domestic and interpersonal violence, which is why arrest mandates and enhanced penalties exist. That said, recent local data show slight declines in reported incidents in the Las Vegas area and a modest statewide decrease from 2023 to 2024.

FAQs

Is a first domestic-battery offense in Nevada “just a misdemeanor”?
Yes—but it includes mandatory jail, fines, counseling, and firearm consequences, and it counts toward the 7-year lookback that can trigger a felony on a third offense.

Can police decide not to arrest if both people have injuries?
They must identify the primary physical aggressor and arrest that person when probable cause exists. Both people are not usually arrested unless clearly warranted.

How soon can someone bond out after a DV arrest?
Not sooner than 12 hours after booking.

Where can I see up-to-date DV numbers?
Nevada’s Crime Stats portal, LVMPD weekly reports, and county court portals are the best sources.