Everyone has heard it: the holidays are when family fights turn into arrests. We wanted to know if that is true here, so we looked at the numbers.
The short answer is mixed. Some of the story holds up. A lot of it does not.
What we looked at
This is our analysis of Miami-Dade County jail booking data from 2016 through 2025. We compared each holiday to a normal day of the same weekday in the same year. We tracked two things: bookings with domestic violence labels, and battery bookings in general.
Thanksgiving and Christmas: no rise
Thanksgiving weekend did not show a jump. Battery bookings from Thursday through Sunday were about the same as a normal weekend, up roughly 2 percent. Bookings carrying a domestic violence label ran lower, not higher.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day did not jump either. Battery bookings on those two days combined were within a couple of points of normal. Bookings with a domestic violence label were about a third below normal.
In fact, fewer people were booked into the jail overall on those days. That alone can make a holiday feel busy for the people involved while the county numbers stay flat or fall.
Battery arrests on holidays vs. a normal day, Miami-Dade 2016–2025
See the numbers
| Day | Change vs. normal day | Years above normal |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving Day | −10% | 3 of 10 |
| Black Friday | +29% | 8 of 10 |
| Christmas Eve | −20% | 2 of 10 |
| Christmas Day | +17% | 7 of 10 |
| New Year's Eve | −15% | 2 of 10 |
| New Year's Day | +67% | 10 of 10 |
| July 4 | +4% | 6 of 10 |
| Memorial Day | +30% | 8 of 10 |
| Valentine's Day | +22% | 9 of 10 |
Questions about your situation? Talk to Dennis.
New Year's Day: a clear jump
New Year's Day was different. Battery bookings ran about two-thirds higher than a normal day, roughly 24 a day on average against about 14. They were higher than normal in every one of the 10 years we checked.
Average daily battery arrests, Dec 20 – Jan 5
See the numbers
| Day | Average battery bookings |
|---|---|
| Dec 20 | 13.9 |
| Dec 21 | 13.1 |
| Dec 22 | 12.4 |
| Dec 23 | 12.8 |
| Dec 24 | 11.5 |
| Dec 25 | 16.8 |
| Dec 26 | 12.2 |
| Dec 27 | 10.2 |
| Dec 28 | 11.5 |
| Dec 29 | 12.0 |
| Dec 30 | 11.3 |
| Dec 31 | 12.3 |
| Jan 1 | 23.6 |
| Jan 2 | 16.3 |
| Jan 3 | 15.0 |
| Jan 4 | 14.2 |
| Jan 5 | 17.0 |
Two cautions. First, battery bookings include bar fights and other non-domestic cases, so this is not a pure domestic violence number. Second, bookings with a domestic violence label did not rise that day, though there were only a dozen of them over 10 years. Arrests made late on New Year's Eve are often booked after midnight, which also pushes the January 1 count up.
Bookings labeled domestic violence, Dec 20 – Jan 5
See the numbers
| Day | Average DV-labeled bookings |
|---|---|
| Dec 20 | 1.6 |
| Dec 21 | 1.9 |
| Dec 22 | 1.3 |
| Dec 23 | 1.7 |
| Dec 24 | 1.1 |
| Dec 25 | 1.0 |
| Dec 26 | 1.0 |
| Dec 27 | 1.1 |
| Dec 28 | 1.1 |
| Dec 29 | 1.3 |
| Dec 30 | 0.3 |
| Dec 31 | 1.1 |
| Jan 1 | 1.2 |
| Jan 2 | 1.4 |
| Jan 3 | 1.8 |
| Jan 4 | 1.1 |
| Jan 5 | 1.5 |
Official crime statistics from New South Wales, Australia, show the same pattern: New Year's Day is the day of the year with the most assaults, both domestic and non-domestic.
The whole season: not higher
The full stretch from late November to early January was not busier. Battery bookings ran about 6 percent below normal. Domestic violence labeled bookings ran about 12 percent below. December was the quietest month of the year in our data.
What this data cannot tell you
A booking is a person taken to jail, not an incident, and not a call to 911. We also have no field that marks a case as domestic violence. In late 2023 the county started coding domestic violence battery under its own label, so before that date those cases were booked as plain battery. That is why we used two measures and why neither one is perfect.
Whatever the calendar says, one call can change your holiday
Forget the statistics for a moment. Family gatherings, alcohol and stress produce loud nights and worried neighbors. One call to the police can mean an arrest, a night in jail until first appearance, and a no-contact order that keeps you away from your own home and family over the holidays.
An arrest is not a conviction. But the first hours matter, and what you do in them can shape everything after.
If you are innocent or wrongly accused
Here is what to do.
- Say the words. Say clearly: "I want a lawyer and I am not answering questions." Then stop talking. Do not count on silence to speak for you. Say it out loud.
- Don't try to explain. Even a friendly "I was just trying to calm things down" can be used against you.
- Stay calm and polite. Do not argue or resist. Body cameras may be recording.
- Do not agree to a phone search. Say, "I do not consent, and I want a lawyer."
- Do not contact the accuser, even if the accuser contacts you or invites you over. A no-contact order binds you, not the other person. Only the judge can change the order.
- Do not post about it. Not on social media, not in group chats.
- Follow every court condition exactly. That includes staying away from the home and following any visitation terms in writing.
- Call a lawyer right away.
If a message arrives from the accuser, do not reply. Keep it and give it to your lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Can the accuser drop the charges in Florida?
No. The prosecutor decides whether a case goes forward, and can proceed even if the accuser objects. The accuser's wishes can matter, but they do not control the outcome.
Will I be released the same day?
Usually not. A person arrested on a domestic violence charge must be held until brought before a judge, who considers bail and sets conditions.
Can I go home after I bond out?
Maybe not. Release conditions can bar contact with the accuser and keep you away from the accuser's home. Ask your lawyer before you go anywhere.
What if she or he texts me first?
Do not answer. Do not delete anything. Send it to your lawyer.
Do I have to answer police questions?
No. Say, "I want a lawyer and I am not answering questions," and stop talking.
Can I be arrested if there are no marks and no witnesses?
Yes. Police can arrest when they find probable cause, and the law does not require the accuser's consent. That is why a defense needs to begin early.
What is the difference between an injunction and the criminal case?
They are two separate cases with different rules. What you say in one can be used in the other.
Talk to a lawyer, any day, any hour
Every case turns on its facts, and no result is guaranteed. If you or someone you love has been arrested or accused over the holidays, we offer a free consultation, 24 hours a day, in English or Spanish.
Call (305) 209-0384.