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, 2011

[12,023 agencies; 2011 estimated population 238,952,977]

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 9,499,725 6,578,133 2,697,539 142,422 81,631 100.0 69.2 28.4 1.5 0.9
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 8,341 4,000 4,149 105 87 100.0 48.0 49.7 1.3 1.0
Forcible rape 14,611 9,504 4,811 170 126 100.0 65.0 32.9 1.2 0.9
Robbery 82,436 35,443 45,827 619 547 100.0 43.0 55.6 0.8 0.7
Aggravated assault 305,220 194,981 102,597 4,540 3,102 100.0 63.9 33.6 1.5 1.0
Burglary 227,899 151,934 72,244 2,095 1,626 100.0 66.7 31.7 0.9 0.7
Larceny-theft 977,743 670,768 281,197 15,122 10,656 100.0 68.6 28.8 1.5 1.1
Motor vehicle theft 50,902 32,575 17,250 658 419 100.0 64.0 33.9 1.3 0.8
Arson 8,965 6,479 2,302 107 77 100.0 72.3 25.7 1.2 0.9
Violent crime2 410,608 243,928 157,384 5,434 3,862 100.0 59.4 38.3 1.3 0.9
Property crime2 1,265,509 861,756 372,993 17,982 12,778 100.0 68.1 29.5 1.4 1.0
Other assaults 952,421 625,330 304,083 14,875 8,133 100.0 65.7 31.9 1.6 0.9
Forgery and counterfeiting 53,791 35,239 17,695 295 562 100.0 65.5 32.9 0.5 1.0
Fraud 127,664 84,919 40,621 1,140 984 100.0 66.5 31.8 0.9 0.8
Embezzlement 12,454 8,155 4,032 65 202 100.0 65.5 32.4 0.5 1.6
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 71,727 47,434 23,191 542 560 100.0 66.1 32.3 0.8 0.8
Vandalism 182,482 132,850 45,055 3,029 1,548 100.0 72.8 24.7 1.7 0.8
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 117,820 68,453 47,515 859 993 100.0 58.1 40.3 0.7 0.8
Prostitution and commercialized vice 44,090 23,555 19,227 255 1,053 100.0 53.4 43.6 0.6 2.4
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 52,891 38,422 13,189 729 551 100.0 72.6 24.9 1.4 1.0
Drug abuse violations 1,171,866 783,564 371,248 8,275 8,779 100.0 66.9 31.7 0.7 0.7
Gambling 6,507 1,937 4,351 40 179 100.0 29.8 66.9 0.6 2.8
Offenses against the family and children 87,586 56,973 28,183 1,848 582 100.0 65.0 32.2 2.1 0.7
Driving under the influence 924,210 788,175 111,480 13,618 10,937 100.0 85.3 12.1 1.5 1.2
Liquor laws 380,663 312,106 51,446 12,896 4,215 100.0 82.0 13.5 3.4 1.1
Drunkenness 413,723 339,019 64,268 7,619 2,817 100.0 81.9 15.5 1.8 0.7
Disorderly conduct 447,201 281,531 153,840 8,771 3,059 100.0 63.0 34.4 2.0 0.7
Vagrancy 22,375 12,989 8,794 447 145 100.0 58.1 39.3 2.0 0.6
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,693,823 1,794,893 837,095 42,869 18,966 100.0 66.6 31.1 1.6 0.7
Suspicion 1,150 634 506 5 5 100.0 55.1 44.0 0.4 0.4
Curfew and loitering law violations 59,164 36,271 21,343 829 721 100.0 61.3 36.1 1.4 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 1,123,992 738,427 359,765 15,023 10,777 100.0 65.7 32.0 1.3 1.0
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 650 293 351 5 1 100.0 45.1 54.0 0.8 0.2
Forcible rape 2,061 1,284 753 12 12 100.0 62.3 36.5 0.6 0.6
Robbery 18,353 5,580 12,574 81 118 100.0 30.4 68.5 0.4 0.6
Aggravated assault 31,173 17,372 13,176 376 249 100.0 55.7 42.3 1.2 0.8
Burglary 47,524 28,388 18,347 392 397 100.0 59.7 38.6 0.8 0.8
Larceny-theft 196,228 124,185 66,504 2,822 2,717 100.0 63.3 33.9 1.4 1.4
Motor vehicle theft 10,754 5,959 4,586 123 86 100.0 55.4 42.6 1.1 0.8
Arson 3,705 2,700 944 25 36 100.0 72.9 25.5 0.7 1.0
Violent crime2 52,237 24,529 26,854 474 380 100.0 47.0 51.4 0.9 0.7
Property crime2 258,211 161,232 90,381 3,362 3,236 100.0 62.4 35.0 1.3 1.3
Other assaults 144,865 85,813 56,467 1,638 947 100.0 59.2 39.0 1.1 0.7
Forgery and counterfeiting 1,198 790 388 5 15 100.0 65.9 32.4 0.4 1.3
Fraud 3,884 2,332 1,478 39 35 100.0 60.0 38.1 1.0 0.9
Embezzlement 322 213 102 1 6 100.0 66.1 31.7 0.3 1.9
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 10,253 5,798 4,270 81 104 100.0 56.5 41.6 0.8 1.0
Vandalism 51,963 39,498 11,338 691 436 100.0 76.0 21.8 1.3 0.8
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 21,663 13,153 8,100 160 250 100.0 60.7 37.4 0.7 1.2
Prostitution and commercialized vice 760 268 483 1 8 100.0 35.3 63.6 0.1 1.1
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 9,536 6,651 2,739 77 69 100.0 69.7 28.7 0.8 0.7
Drug abuse violations 112,427 83,508 26,531 1,277 1,111 100.0 74.3 23.6 1.1 1.0
Gambling 766 93 664 2 7 100.0 12.1 86.7 0.3 0.9
Offenses against the family and children 2,702 1,882 738 66 16 100.0 69.7 27.3 2.4 0.6
Driving under the influence 7,667 7,026 417 150 74 100.0 91.6 5.4 2.0 1.0
Liquor laws 69,299 61,403 4,754 2,337 805 100.0 88.6 6.9 3.4 1.2
Drunkenness 8,706 7,578 852 206 70 100.0 87.0 9.8 2.4 0.8
Disorderly conduct 105,764 60,148 43,749 1,221 646 100.0 56.9 41.4 1.2 0.6
Vagrancy 1,406 1,026 369 6 5 100.0 73.0 26.2 0.4 0.4
All other offenses (except traffic) 201,082 139,156 57,691 2,400 1,835 100.0 69.2 28.7 1.2 0.9
Suspicion 117 59 57 0 1 100.0 50.4 48.7 0.0 0.9
Curfew and loitering law violations 59,164 36,271 21,343 829 721 100.0 61.3 36.1 1.4 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 8,375,733 5,839,706 2,337,774 127,399 70,854 100.0 69.7 27.9 1.5 0.8
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 7,691 3,707 3,798 100 86 100.0 48.2 49.4 1.3 1.1
Forcible rape 12,550 8,220 4,058 158 114 100.0 65.5 32.3 1.3 0.9
Robbery 64,083 29,863 33,253 538 429 100.0 46.6 51.9 0.8 0.7
Aggravated assault 274,047 177,609 89,421 4,164 2,853 100.0 64.8 32.6 1.5 1.0
Burglary 180,375 123,546 53,897 1,703 1,229 100.0 68.5 29.9 0.9 0.7
Larceny-theft 781,515 546,583 214,693 12,300 7,939 100.0 69.9 27.5 1.6 1.0
Motor vehicle theft 40,148 26,616 12,664 535 333 100.0 66.3 31.5 1.3 0.8
Arson 5,260 3,779 1,358 82 41 100.0 71.8 25.8 1.6 0.8
Violent crime2 358,371 219,399 130,530 4,960 3,482 100.0 61.2 36.4 1.4 1.0
Property crime2 1,007,298 700,524 282,612 14,620 9,542 100.0 69.5 28.1 1.5 0.9
Other assaults 807,556 539,517 247,616 13,237 7,186 100.0 66.8 30.7 1.6 0.9
Forgery and counterfeiting 52,593 34,449 17,307 290 547 100.0 65.5 32.9 0.6 1.0
Fraud 123,780 82,587 39,143 1,101 949 100.0 66.7 31.6 0.9 0.8
Embezzlement 12,132 7,942 3,930 64 196 100.0 65.5 32.4 0.5 1.6
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 61,474 41,636 18,921 461 456 100.0 67.7 30.8 0.7 0.7
Vandalism 130,519 93,352 33,717 2,338 1,112 100.0 71.5 25.8 1.8 0.9
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 96,157 55,300 39,415 699 743 100.0 57.5 41.0 0.7 0.8
Prostitution and commercialized vice 43,330 23,287 18,744 254 1,045 100.0 53.7 43.3 0.6 2.4
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 43,355 31,771 10,450 652 482 100.0 73.3 24.1 1.5 1.1
Drug abuse violations 1,059,439 700,056 344,717 6,998 7,668 100.0 66.1 32.5 0.7 0.7
Gambling 5,741 1,844 3,687 38 172 100.0 32.1 64.2 0.7 3.0
Offenses against the family and children 84,884 55,091 27,445 1,782 566 100.0 64.9 32.3 2.1 0.7
Driving under the influence 916,543 781,149 111,063 13,468 10,863 100.0 85.2 12.1 1.5 1.2
Liquor laws 311,364 250,703 46,692 10,559 3,410 100.0 80.5 15.0 3.4 1.1
Drunkenness 405,017 331,441 63,416 7,413 2,747 100.0 81.8 15.7 1.8 0.7
Disorderly conduct 341,437 221,383 110,091 7,550 2,413 100.0 64.8 32.2 2.2 0.7
Vagrancy 20,969 11,963 8,425 441 140 100.0 57.1 40.2 2.1 0.7
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,492,741 1,655,737 779,404 40,469 17,131 100.0 66.4 31.3 1.6 0.7
Suspicion 1,033 575 449 5 4 100.0 55.7 43.5 0.5 0.4
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, 2011

  • In 2011, 69.2 percent of all individuals arrested were white, 28.4 percent were black, and 2.4 percent were of other races.
  • Of all juveniles (individuals under the age of 18) arrested in 2011 in the nation, 65.7 percent were white, 32.0 percent were black, and 2.3 percent were of other races.
  • Nearly 70 percent (69.7) of all adults (18 years of age and over) arrested in 2011 were white, 27.9 percent were black, and 2.3 percent were of other races.
  • White individuals were arrested more often for violent crimes than individuals of any other race, accounting for 59.4 percent of those arrests.
  • The percentages of white adults and black adults arrested for murder were similar, with 48.2 percent being white, and 49.4 percent being black.
  • Juveniles who were black accounted for 51.4 percent of juvenile arrests for violent crimes. 
  • Juveniles who were white accounted for 62.4 percent of juvenile arrests for property crimes.
  • Of the juveniles arrested for driving under the influence, 91.6 percent were white.
  • Juveniles who were white accounted for 72.9 percent of the persons under 18 who were arrested for arson in 2011.