New research by Minneapolis police shows that about one-third of criminal violations over the past five years were for the relatively minor infractions of driving without auto insurance or a valid driver's license.
The problem bogs down police resources and can create deeper problems for residents who suddenly find themselves enmeshed in the criminal justice system, where fines, penalties and punishments can escalate quickly.
"This is systemic," Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau said. "People are getting into the system because they don't have a driver's license."
For those who are poor, a minor driving infraction can bring years of trouble.
"They either fail to appear or they don't pay their fine because they don't have money," Harteau said. "Why? Because they can't get to their job because they don't have a driver's license. A warrant gets issued and now that just stacks up. You can't dig yourself out."
Harteau and police officials analyzed the arrest statistics after civil rights advocates argued that data showed that racially biased policing had created disparities in the way low-level offenses were enforced. Lately, the City Council has looked at repealing lurking and spitting ordinances, which civil rights advocates said overwhelming target minorities.
Police found that lurking charges, for instance, make up less than one half of 1 percent of all criminal violations.
From 2010 to 2014, police arrested 45,147 individuals once and 8,716 people were arrested twice for a range of offenses, including driver's license infractions. Fifteen people were arrested more than 51 times in the past five years.