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.

Home Crime in the U.S. 2012 Crime in the U.S. 2012 Tables 32TableDataDecOverviewPDF

Table 32

Ten-Year Arrest Trends

Totals, 2003–2012

[9,529 agencies; 2012 estimated population 208,644,788; 2003 estimated population 193,680,679]

Offense charged Number of persons arrested
Total all ages Under 18 years of age 18 years of age and over
2003 2012 Percent
change
2003 2012 Percent
change
2003 2012 Percent
change
TOTAL1 8,985,000 8,169,312 -9.1 1,403,497 881,528 -37.2 7,581,503 7,287,784 -3.9
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 8,258 7,133 -13.6 703 443 -37.0 7,555 6,690 -11.4
Forcible rape 16,788 11,891 -29.2 2,629 1,682 -36.0 14,159 10,209 -27.9
Robbery 71,067 68,065 -4.2 16,401 13,200 -19.5 54,666 54,865 +0.4
Aggravated assault 301,939 260,152 -13.8 40,332 23,119 -42.7 261,607 237,033 -9.4
Burglary 198,856 193,882 -2.5 57,322 36,424 -36.5 141,534 157,458 +11.3
Larceny-theft 775,764 863,220 +11.3 223,900 152,983 -31.7 551,864 710,237 +28.7
Motor vehicle theft 94,173 46,070 -51.1 27,149 8,403 -69.0 67,024 37,667 -43.8
Arson 10,871 7,912 -27.2 5,597 3,014 -46.1 5,274 4,898 -7.1
Violent crime2 398,052 347,241 -12.8 60,065 38,444 -36.0 337,987 308,797 -8.6
Property crime2 1,079,664 1,111,084 +2.9 313,968 200,824 -36.0 765,696 910,260 +18.9
Other assaults 821,515 800,534 -2.6 158,286 113,619 -28.2 663,229 686,915 +3.6
Forgery and counterfeiting 77,002 45,048 -41.5 3,246 955 -70.6 73,756 44,093 -40.2
Fraud 221,652 105,482 -52.4 5,544 3,215 -42.0 216,108 102,267 -52.7
Embezzlement 12,727 10,981 -13.7 873 309 -64.6 11,854 10,672 -10.0
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 87,625 67,517 -22.9 16,843 8,903 -47.1 70,782 58,614 -17.2
Vandalism 183,465 153,004 -16.6 73,330 40,689 -44.5 110,135 112,315 +2.0
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 111,093 98,855 -11.0 26,016 16,137 -38.0 85,077 82,718 -2.8
Prostitution and commercialized vice 48,513 36,931 -23.9 955 564 -40.9 47,558 36,367 -23.5
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 60,155 47,369 -21.3 12,389 8,576 -30.8 47,766 38,793 -18.8
Drug abuse violations 1,090,948 1,028,218 -5.8 126,782 91,552 -27.8 964,166 936,666 -2.9
Gambling 4,391 2,809 -36.0 427 175 -59.0 3,964 2,634 -33.6
Offenses against the family and children 88,778 71,429 -19.5 4,370 2,144 -50.9 84,408 69,285 -17.9
Driving under the influence 955,224 860,683 -9.9 13,871 6,295 -54.6 941,353 854,388 -9.2
Liquor laws 421,176 308,191 -26.8 94,437 56,973 -39.7 326,739 251,218 -23.1
Drunkenness 378,366 350,835 -7.3 11,657 6,873 -41.0 366,709 343,962 -6.2
Disorderly conduct 420,798 349,368 -17.0 129,108 77,685 -39.8 291,690 271,683 -6.9
Vagrancy 19,787 16,704 -15.6 1,383 580 -58.1 18,404 16,124 -12.4
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,409,364 2,308,003 -4.2 255,242 157,990 -38.1 2,154,122 2,150,013 -0.2
Suspicion 1,716 1,109 -35.4 373 242 -35.1 1,343 867 -35.4
Curfew and loitering law violations 94,705 49,026 -48.2 94,705 49,026 -48.2 - - -
  • 1 Does not include suspicion.
  • 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

Ten-Year Arrest Trends, Totals, 2003–2012

  • The number of persons arrested nationwide in 2012 decreased 9.1 percent when compared with the number of those arrested in 2003.
  • The number of arrests for violent crimes in 2012 declined 12.8 percent when compared with arrest figures for 2003; the largest decrease (29.2 percent) was reported for forcible rape.
  • All categories of violent crime decreased in 2012 when compared with 2003 arrest data.
  • The number of persons arrested for property crimes increased 2.9 percent in 2012 when compared with the number of those arrested for property crimes in 2003. However, arrests for motor vehicle thefts dropped 51.1 percent in 2012 when compared to arrests for that offense in 2003.
  • The number of adults arrested in 2012 decreased 3.9 percent when compared with the number of adults arrested in 2003.
  • The number of juveniles (individuals under age 18) arrested dropped 37.2 percent in 2012 when compared with the 2003 figure.