Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Table 43

Arrests

by Race, 2012

[12,196 agencies; 2012 estimated population 242,925,157]

Table 43A

Offense charged Total arrests Percent distribution1
Total White Black American
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
Total White Black American
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
TOTAL 9,390,473 6,502,919 2,640,067 135,165 112,322 100.0 69.3 28.1 1.4 1.2
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 8,506 4,101 4,203 102 100 100.0 48.2 49.4 1.2 1.2
Forcible rape 13,886 9,027 4,512 183 164 100.0 65.0 32.5 1.3 1.2
Robbery 80,135 34,761 44,002 601 771 100.0 43.4 54.9 0.7 1.0
Aggravated assault 299,943 188,505 102,371 4,312 4,755 100.0 62.8 34.1 1.4 1.6
Burglary 219,232 147,156 67,554 1,966 2,556 100.0 67.1 30.8 0.9 1.2
Larceny-theft 994,304 677,895 288,025 15,052 13,332 100.0 68.2 29.0 1.5 1.3
Motor vehicle theft 52,952 35,251 16,301 645 755 100.0 66.6 30.8 1.2 1.4
Arson 8,827 6,500 2,083 141 103 100.0 73.6 23.6 1.6 1.2
Violent crime2 402,470 236,394 155,088 5,198 5,790 100.0 58.7 38.5 1.3 1.4
Property crime2 1,275,315 866,802 373,963 17,804 16,746 100.0 68.0 29.3 1.4 1.3
Other assaults 924,839 606,048 294,678 13,898 10,215 100.0 65.5 31.9 1.5 1.1
Forgery and counterfeiting 51,759 33,950 16,900 239 670 100.0 65.6 32.7 0.5 1.3
Fraud 117,706 78,331 37,171 1,143 1,061 100.0 66.5 31.6 1.0 0.9
Embezzlement 12,371 7,994 4,103 74 200 100.0 64.6 33.2 0.6 1.6
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 75,516 50,144 23,787 615 970 100.0 66.4 31.5 0.8 1.3
Vandalism 175,243 125,987 44,650 2,845 1,761 100.0 71.9 25.5 1.6 1.0
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 114,979 66,909 45,842 764 1,464 100.0 58.2 39.9 0.7 1.3
Prostitution and commercialized vice 43,216 23,172 18,486 175 1,383 100.0 53.6 42.8 0.4 3.2
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 52,354 38,063 12,850 628 813 100.0 72.7 24.5 1.2 1.6
Drug abuse violations 1,194,956 801,198 372,914 8,299 12,545 100.0 67.0 31.2 0.7 1.0
Gambling 5,951 1,707 4,008 22 214 100.0 28.7 67.4 0.4 3.6
Offenses against the family and children 81,762 53,760 25,698 1,740 564 100.0 65.8 31.4 2.1 0.7
Driving under the influence 981,110 830,498 118,557 13,313 18,742 100.0 84.6 12.1 1.4 1.9
Liquor laws 337,687 275,457 46,355 11,314 4,561 100.0 81.6 13.7 3.4 1.4
Drunkenness 398,600 324,209 62,944 7,218 4,229 100.0 81.3 15.8 1.8 1.1
Disorderly conduct 418,960 262,810 145,183 7,751 3,216 100.0 62.7 34.7 1.9 0.8
Vagrancy 20,698 13,034 7,080 389 195 100.0 63.0 34.2 1.9 0.9
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,649,909 1,773,792 808,609 41,206 26,302 100.0 66.9 30.5 1.6 1.0
Suspicion 1,160 610 535 4 11 100.0 52.6 46.1 0.3 0.9
Curfew and loitering law violations 53,912 32,050 20,666 526 670 100.0 59.4 38.3 1.0 1.2
  • 1 Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
  • 2 Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crimes are offenses of burglary, larceny-theft,
    motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Table 43B

Offense charged Arrests under 18 Percent distribution1
Total White Black American
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
Total White Black American
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
TOTAL 1,002,285 653,949 322,602 13,428 12,306 100.0 65.2 32.2 1.3 1.2
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 559 264 284 10 1 100.0 47.2 50.8 1.8 0.2
Forcible rape 1,931 1,237 655 22 17 100.0 64.1 33.9 1.1 0.9
Robbery 16,312 4,880 11,190 67 175 100.0 29.9 68.6 0.4 1.1
Aggravated assault 27,742 15,301 11,853 294 294 100.0 55.2 42.7 1.1 1.1
Burglary 41,422 24,464 16,091 353 514 100.0 59.1 38.8 0.9 1.2
Larceny-theft 172,307 107,108 59,637 2,486 3,076 100.0 62.2 34.6 1.4 1.8
Motor vehicle theft 10,007 5,799 3,937 142 129 100.0 57.9 39.3 1.4 1.3
Arson 3,237 2,378 802 21 36 100.0 73.5 24.8 0.6 1.1
Violent crime2 46,544 21,682 23,982 393 487 100.0 46.6 51.5 0.8 1.0
Property crime2 226,973 139,749 80,467 3,002 3,755 100.0 61.6 35.5 1.3 1.7
Other assaults 130,024 76,806 50,626 1,503 1,089 100.0 59.1 38.9 1.2 0.8
Forgery and counterfeiting 1,063 737 310 8 8 100.0 69.3 29.2 0.8 0.8
Fraud 3,485 2,022 1,363 56 44 100.0 58.0 39.1 1.6 1.3
Embezzlement 340 215 113 5 7 100.0 63.2 33.2 1.5 2.1
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 9,868 5,204 4,459 90 115 100.0 52.7 45.2 0.9 1.2
Vandalism 45,016 33,860 10,184 573 399 100.0 75.2 22.6 1.3 0.9
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 18,633 11,449 6,775 121 288 100.0 61.4 36.4 0.6 1.5
Prostitution and commercialized vice 609 242 362 0 5 100.0 39.7 59.4 0.0 0.8
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 9,331 6,675 2,462 90 104 100.0 71.5 26.4 1.0 1.1
Drug abuse violations 104,830 77,608 24,684 1,178 1,360 100.0 74.0 23.5 1.1 1.3
Gambling 727 77 643 1 6 100.0 10.6 88.4 0.1 0.8
Offenses against the family and children 2,631 1,796 713 106 16 100.0 68.3 27.1 4.0 0.6
Driving under the influence 7,114 6,546 361 123 84 100.0 92.0 5.1 1.7 1.2
Liquor laws 61,611 54,522 4,294 1,882 913 100.0 88.5 7.0 3.1 1.5
Drunkenness 7,587 6,617 694 168 108 100.0 87.2 9.1 2.2 1.4
Disorderly conduct 90,497 50,695 38,043 1,088 671 100.0 56.0 42.0 1.2 0.7
Vagrancy 975 698 269 4 4 100.0 71.6 27.6 0.4 0.4
All other offenses (except traffic) 180,322 124,553 51,086 2,511 2,172 100.0 69.1 28.3 1.4 1.2
Suspicion 193 146 46 0 1 100.0 75.6 23.8 0.0 0.5
Curfew and loitering law violations 53,912 32,050 20,666 526 670 100.0 59.4 38.3 1.0 1.2
  • 1 Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
  • 2 Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crimes are offenses of burglary, larceny-
    theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Table 43C

Offense charged Arrests 18 and over Percent distribution1
Total White Black American
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
Total White Black American
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
TOTAL 8,388,188 5,848,970 2,317,465 121,737 100,016 100.0 69.7 27.6 1.5 1.2
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 7,947 3,837 3,919 92 99 100.0 48.3 49.3 1.2 1.2
Forcible rape 11,955 7,790 3,857 161 147 100.0 65.2 32.3 1.3 1.2
Robbery 63,823 29,881 32,812 534 596 100.0 46.8 51.4 0.8 0.9
Aggravated assault 272,201 173,204 90,518 4,018 4,461 100.0 63.6 33.3 1.5 1.6
Burglary 177,810 122,692 51,463 1,613 2,042 100.0 69.0 28.9 0.9 1.1
Larceny-theft 821,997 570,787 228,388 12,566 10,256 100.0 69.4 27.8 1.5 1.2
Motor vehicle theft 42,945 29,452 12,364 503 626 100.0 68.6 28.8 1.2 1.5
Arson 5,590 4,122 1,281 120 67 100.0 73.7 22.9 2.1 1.2
Violent crime2 355,926 214,712 131,106 4,805 5,303 100.0 60.3 36.8 1.3 1.5
Property crime2 1,048,342 727,053 293,496 14,802 12,991 100.0 69.4 28.0 1.4 1.2
Other assaults 794,815 529,242 244,052 12,395 9,126 100.0 66.6 30.7 1.6 1.1
Forgery and counterfeiting 50,696 33,213 16,590 231 662 100.0 65.5 32.7 0.5 1.3
Fraud 114,221 76,309 35,808 1,087 1,017 100.0 66.8 31.3 1.0 0.9
Embezzlement 12,031 7,779 3,990 69 193 100.0 64.7 33.2 0.6 1.6
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 65,648 44,940 19,328 525 855 100.0 68.5 29.4 0.8 1.3
Vandalism 130,227 92,127 34,466 2,272 1,362 100.0 70.7 26.5 1.7 1.0
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 96,346 55,460 39,067 643 1,176 100.0 57.6 40.5 0.7 1.2
Prostitution and commercialized vice 42,607 22,930 18,124 175 1,378 100.0 53.8 42.5 0.4 3.2
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 43,023 31,388 10,388 538 709 100.0 73.0 24.1 1.3 1.6
Drug abuse violations 1,090,126 723,590 348,230 7,121 11,185 100.0 66.4 31.9 0.7 1.0
Gambling 5,224 1,630 3,365 21 208 100.0 31.2 64.4 0.4 4.0
Offenses against the family and children 79,131 51,964 24,985 1,634 548 100.0 65.7 31.6 2.1 0.7
Driving under the influence 973,996 823,952 118,196 13,190 18,658 100.0 84.6 12.1 1.4 1.9
Liquor laws 276,076 220,935 42,061 9,432 3,648 100.0 80.0 15.2 3.4 1.3
Drunkenness 391,013 317,592 62,250 7,050 4,121 100.0 81.2 15.9 1.8 1.1
Disorderly conduct 328,463 212,115 107,140 6,663 2,545 100.0 64.6 32.6 2.0 0.8
Vagrancy 19,723 12,336 6,811 385 191 100.0 62.5 34.5 2.0 1.0
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,469,587 1,649,239 757,523 38,695 24,130 100.0 66.8 30.7 1.6 1.0
Suspicion 967 464 489 4 10 100.0 48.0 50.6 0.4 1.0
Curfew and loitering law violations - - - - - - - - - -
  • 1 Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
  • 2 Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crimes are offenses of burglary, larceny-
    theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Data Declaration

Provides the methodology used in constructing this table and other pertinent information about this table.

Overview

Download Printable Document

Arrests, by Race, 2012

  • In 2012, 69.3 percent of all individuals arrested were white, 28.1 percent were black, and 2.6 percent were of other races.
  • Of all juveniles (persons under the age of 18) arrested in 2012, 65.2 percent were white, 32.2 percent were black, and 2.5 percent were of other races.
  • Of all adults arrested in 2012, 69.7 were white, 27.6 percent were black, and 2.7 percent were of other races.
  • White individuals were arrested more often for violent crimes than individuals of any other race, accounting for 58.7 percent of those arrests.
  • The percentages of black adults and white adults arrested for murder were similar, with 49.3 percent being black and 48.3 percent being white.
  • Black juveniles accounted for 51.5 percent of all juveniles arrested for violent crimes. White juveniles accounted for 61.6 percent of all juveniles arrested for property crimes.
  • Of the juveniles arrested for drug abuse violations, 74.0 percent were white.
  • White juveniles accounted for 55.2 percent of juveniles arrested for aggravated assaults.