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Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation

Table 21

Arrests

by Race and Ethnicity, 2016

[13,049 agencies; 2016 estimated population 257,112,535]

Table 21A

Total arrests Percent distribution1 Total arrests Percent distribution1
Race Ethnicity
Offense charged Total White Black or
African
American		 American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		 Asian Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander		 Total White Black or
African
American		 American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		 Asian Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander		 Total2 Hispanic
or
Latino		 Not
Hispanic
or Latino		 Total Hispanic
or
Latino		 Not
Hispanic
or Latino
TOTAL 8,421,481 5,858,330 2,263,112 171,185 103,244 25,610 100.0 69.6 26.9 2.0 1.2 0.3 6,647,012 1,221,066 5,425,946 100.0 18.4 81.6
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 9,374 4,192 4,935 108 109 30 100.0 44.7 52.6 1.2 1.2 0.3 6,882 1,374 5,508 100.0 20.0 80.0
Rape3 18,606 12,571 5,412 233 309 81 100.0 67.6 29.1 1.3 1.7 0.4 13,896 3,758 10,138 100.0 27.0 73.0
Robbery 76,267 33,095 41,562 663 659 288 100.0 43.4 54.5 0.9 0.9 0.4 60,116 12,657 47,459 100.0 21.1 78.9
Aggravated assault 304,626 191,205 101,432 6,374 4,678 937 100.0 62.8 33.3 2.1 1.5 0.3 250,762 61,073 189,689 100.0 24.4 75.6
Burglary 164,641 112,651 47,991 1,613 1,925 461 100.0 68.4 29.1 1.0 1.2 0.3 130,179 27,113 103,066 100.0 20.8 79.2
Larceny-theft 833,558 575,105 231,199 14,933 10,277 2,044 100.0 69.0 27.7 1.8 1.2 0.2 624,800 91,210 533,590 100.0 14.6 85.4
Motor vehicle theft 68,170 44,970 20,955 1,018 895 332 100.0 66.0 30.7 1.5 1.3 0.5 52,786 14,160 38,626 100.0 26.8 73.2
Arson 7,767 5,593 1,813 218 120 23 100.0 72.0 23.3 2.8 1.5 0.3 5,495 910 4,585 100.0 16.6 83.4
Violent crime4 408,873 241,063 153,341 7,378 5,755 1,336 100.0 59.0 37.5 1.8 1.4 0.3 331,656 78,862 252,794 100.0 23.8 76.2
Property crime4 1,074,136 738,319 301,958 17,782 13,217 2,860 100.0 68.7 28.1 1.7 1.2 0.3 813,260 133,393 679,867 100.0 16.4 83.6
Other assaults 853,493 556,871 267,764 15,505 10,511 2,842 100.0 65.2 31.4 1.8 1.2 0.3 665,711 121,329 544,382 100.0 18.2 81.8
Forgery and counterfeiting 44,831 29,375 14,308 290 752 106 100.0 65.5 31.9 0.6 1.7 0.2 35,180 5,580 29,600 100.0 15.9 84.1
Fraud 101,301 67,860 30,888 1,248 1,164 141 100.0 67.0 30.5 1.2 1.1 0.1 79,089 9,084 70,005 100.0 11.5 88.5
Embezzlement 12,592 7,732 4,512 104 209 35 100.0 61.4 35.8 0.8 1.7 0.3 10,178 1,225 8,953 100.0 12.0 88.0
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 74,492 47,818 24,851 876 812 135 100.0 64.2 33.4 1.2 1.1 0.2 56,243 11,067 45,176 100.0 19.7 80.3
Vandalism 154,958 105,933 43,499 3,370 1,768 388 100.0 68.4 28.1 2.2 1.1 0.3 121,519 22,425 99,094 100.0 18.5 81.5
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 124,150 69,414 51,898 1,135 1,401 302 100.0 55.9 41.8 0.9 1.1 0.2 97,279 22,753 74,526 100.0 23.4 76.6
Prostitution and commercialized vice 30,322 16,819 11,495 121 1,821 66 100.0 55.5 37.9 0.4 6.0 0.2 25,718 5,123 20,595 100.0 19.9 80.1
Sex offenses (except rape and prostitution) 40,292 28,837 9,949 633 749 124 100.0 71.6 24.7 1.6 1.9 0.3 32,402 8,134 24,268 100.0 25.1 74.9
Drug abuse violations 1,242,630 881,885 332,131 12,746 13,593 2,275 100.0 71.0 26.7 1.0 1.1 0.2 991,426 201,110 790,316 100.0 20.3 79.7
Gambling 2,905 1,308 1,405 8 167 17 100.0 45.0 48.4 0.3 5.7 0.6 1,958 502 1,456 100.0 25.6 74.4
Offenses against the family and children 69,546 46,661 20,265 2,065 519 36 100.0 67.1 29.1 3.0 0.7 0.1 55,805 6,345 49,460 100.0 11.4 88.6
Driving under the influence 798,012 655,648 108,881 14,700 15,969 2,814 100.0 82.2 13.6 1.8 2.0 0.4 657,336 148,548 508,788 100.0 22.6 77.4
Liquor laws 183,514 145,328 26,545 8,413 2,792 436 100.0 79.2 14.5 4.6 1.5 0.2 134,376 19,488 114,888 100.0 14.5 85.5
Drunkenness 299,248 228,784 43,948 23,043 3,046 427 100.0 76.5 14.7 7.7 1.0 0.1 266,894 64,347 202,547 100.0 24.1 75.9
Disorderly conduct 291,951 184,903 94,004 10,121 2,320 603 100.0 63.3 32.2 3.5 0.8 0.2 207,010 26,664 180,346 100.0 12.9 87.1
Vagrancy 19,755 13,033 6,063 412 234 13 100.0 66.0 30.7 2.1 1.2 0.1 16,265 2,624 13,641 100.0 16.1 83.9
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,567,092 1,775,423 704,293 50,666 26,136 10,574 100.0 69.2 27.4 2.0 1.0 0.4 2,024,802 327,510 1,697,292 100.0 16.2 83.8
Suspicion 440 154 135 143 5 3 100.0 35.0 30.7 32.5 1.1 0.7 239 17 222 100.0 7.1 92.9
Curfew and loitering law violations 26,948 15,162 10,979 426 304 77 100.0 56.3 40.7 1.6 1.1 0.3 22,666 4,936 17,730 100.0 21.8 78.2
  • 1 Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
  • 2 The ethnicity totals are representative of those agencies that provided ethnicity breakdowns. Not all agencies provide ethnicity data; therefore, the race and ethnicity totals will not equal.
  • 3 The rape figures in this table are aggregate totals of the data submitted based on both the legacy and revised Uniform Crime Reporting definitions.
  • 4 Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crimes are offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Table 21B

Arrests under 18 Percent distribution1 Arrests under 18 Percent distribution1
Race Ethnicity
Offense charged Total White Black or
African
American		 American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		 Asian Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander		 Total White Black or
African
American		 American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		 Asian Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander		 Total2 Hispanic
or
Latino		 Not
Hispanic
or Latino		 Total Hispanic
or
Latino		 Not
Hispanic
or Latino
TOTAL 674,820 419,393 234,092 11,509 7,424 2,402 100.0 62.1 34.7 1.7 1.1 0.4 496,233 113,244 382,989 100.0 22.8 77.2
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 679 244 413 9 11 2 100.0 35.9 60.8 1.3 1.6 0.3 416 103 313 100.0 24.8 75.2
Rape3 2,900 1,877 956 23 31 13 100.0 64.7 33.0 0.8 1.1 0.4 2,137 455 1,682 100.0 21.3 78.7
Robbery 15,293 4,468 10,520 94 139 72 100.0 29.2 68.8 0.6 0.9 0.5 11,254 2,462 8,792 100.0 21.9 78.1
Aggravated assault 22,217 12,086 9,486 350 223 72 100.0 54.4 42.7 1.6 1.0 0.3 17,438 4,600 12,838 100.0 26.4 73.6
Burglary 25,360 14,036 10,606 351 302 65 100.0 55.3 41.8 1.4 1.2 0.3 17,560 4,874 12,686 100.0 27.8 72.2
Larceny-theft 106,014 63,842 38,364 1,754 1,672 382 100.0 60.2 36.2 1.7 1.6 0.4 72,692 15,155 57,537 100.0 20.8 79.2
Motor vehicle theft 12,394 5,810 6,255 190 106 33 100.0 46.9 50.5 1.5 0.9 0.3 7,979 2,123 5,856 100.0 26.6 73.4
Arson 1,983 1,409 486 48 31 9 100.0 71.1 24.5 2.4 1.6 0.5 1,454 298 1,156 100.0 20.5 79.5
Violent crime4 41,089 18,675 21,375 476 404 159 100.0 45.5 52.0 1.2 1.0 0.4 31,245 7,620 23,625 100.0 24.4 75.6
Property crime4 145,751 85,097 55,711 2,343 2,111 489 100.0 58.4 38.2 1.6 1.4 0.3 99,685 22,450 77,235 100.0 22.5 77.5
Other assaults 101,852 58,674 40,635 1,425 782 336 100.0 57.6 39.9 1.4 0.8 0.3 78,351 17,144 61,207 100.0 21.9 78.1
Forgery and counterfeiting 961 534 405 6 14 2 100.0 55.6 42.1 0.6 1.5 0.2 715 126 589 100.0 17.6 82.4
Fraud 3,646 1,818 1,745 49 29 5 100.0 49.9 47.9 1.3 0.8 0.1 2,788 384 2,404 100.0 13.8 86.2
Embezzlement 537 316 202 7 12 0 100.0 58.8 37.6 1.3 2.2 0.0 443 144 299 100.0 32.5 67.5
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 8,614 3,390 5,035 87 81 21 100.0 39.4 58.5 1.0 0.9 0.2 5,849 1,228 4,621 100.0 21.0 79.0
Vandalism 30,863 21,355 8,536 620 260 92 100.0 69.2 27.7 2.0 0.8 0.3 22,603 5,175 17,428 100.0 22.9 77.1
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 15,342 8,249 6,698 162 211 22 100.0 53.8 43.7 1.1 1.4 0.1 11,505 3,644 7,861 100.0 31.7 68.3
Prostitution and commercialized vice 395 157 227 2 5 4 100.0 39.7 57.5 0.5 1.3 1.0 331 52 279 100.0 15.7 84.3
Sex offenses (except rape and prostitution) 6,659 4,786 1,707 62 85 19 100.0 71.9 25.6 0.9 1.3 0.3 5,169 1,278 3,891 100.0 24.7 75.3
Drug abuse violations 77,527 58,017 17,107 1,242 917 244 100.0 74.8 22.1 1.6 1.2 0.3 57,833 16,358 41,475 100.0 28.3 71.7
Gambling 203 50 150 0 3 0 100.0 24.6 73.9 0.0 1.5 0.0 102 21 81 100.0 20.6 79.4
Offenses against the family and children 2,703 1,596 646 443 17 1 100.0 59.0 23.9 16.4 0.6 * 2,205 306 1,899 100.0 13.9 86.1
Driving under the influence 5,059 4,499 338 132 73 17 100.0 88.9 6.7 2.6 1.4 0.3 4,074 977 3,097 100.0 24.0 76.0
Liquor laws 28,598 25,203 1,923 1,055 352 65 100.0 88.1 6.7 3.7 1.2 0.2 21,892 3,540 18,352 100.0 16.2 83.8
Drunkenness 3,753 3,132 373 194 46 8 100.0 83.5 9.9 5.2 1.2 0.2 3,326 1,405 1,921 100.0 42.2 57.8
Disorderly conduct 51,928 27,777 22,915 829 332 75 100.0 53.5 44.1 1.6 0.6 0.1 35,870 6,040 29,830 100.0 16.8 83.2
Vagrancy 608 368 220 11 7 2 100.0 60.5 36.2 1.8 1.2 0.3 383 102 281 100.0 26.6 73.4
All other offenses (except traffic) 121,710 80,504 37,132 1,938 1,375 761 100.0 66.1 30.5 1.6 1.1 0.6 89,152 20,306 68,846 100.0 22.8 77.2
Suspicion 74 34 33 0 4 3 100.0 45.9 44.6 0.0 5.4 4.1 46 8 38 100.0 17.4 82.6
Curfew and loitering law violations 26,948 15,162 10,979 426 304 77 100.0 56.3 40.7 1.6 1.1 0.3 22,666 4,936 17,730 100.0 21.8 78.2
  • 1 Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
  • 2 The ethnicity totals are representative of those agencies that provided ethnicity breakdowns. Not all agencies provide ethnicity data; therefore, the race and ethnicity totals will not equal.
  • 3 The rape figures in this table are aggregate totals of the data submitted based on both the legacy and revised Uniform Crime Reporting definitions.
  • 4 Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crimes are offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
  • * Less than one-tenth of 1 percent.

Table 21C

Arrests 18 and over Percent distribution1 Arrests 18 and over Percent distribution1
Race Ethnicity
Offense charged Total White Black or
African
American		 American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		 Asian Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander		 Total White Black or
African
American		 American
Indian or
Alaska
Native		 Asian Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander		 Total2 Hispanic
or
Latino		 Not
Hispanic
or Latino		 Total Hispanic
or
Latino		 Not
Hispanic
or Latino
TOTAL 7,746,661 5,438,937 2,029,020 159,676 95,820 23,208 100.0 70.2 26.2 2.1 1.2 0.3 6,150,779 1,107,822 5,042,957 100.0 18.0 82.0
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 8,695 3,948 4,522 99 98 28 100.0 45.4 52.0 1.1 1.1 0.3 6,466 1,271 5,195 100.0 19.7 80.3
Rape3 15,706 10,694 4,456 210 278 68 100.0 68.1 28.4 1.3 1.8 0.4 11,759 3,303 8,456 100.0 28.1 71.9
Robbery 60,974 28,627 31,042 569 520 216 100.0 46.9 50.9 0.9 0.9 0.4 48,862 10,195 38,667 100.0 20.9 79.1
Aggravated assault 282,409 179,119 91,946 6,024 4,455 865 100.0 63.4 32.6 2.1 1.6 0.3 233,324 56,473 176,851 100.0 24.2 75.8
Burglary 139,281 98,615 37,385 1,262 1,623 396 100.0 70.8 26.8 0.9 1.2 0.3 112,619 22,239 90,380 100.0 19.7 80.3
Larceny-theft 727,544 511,263 192,835 13,179 8,605 1,662 100.0 70.3 26.5 1.8 1.2 0.2 552,108 76,055 476,053 100.0 13.8 86.2
Motor vehicle theft 55,776 39,160 14,700 828 789 299 100.0 70.2 26.4 1.5 1.4 0.5 44,807 12,037 32,770 100.0 26.9 73.1
Arson 5,784 4,184 1,327 170 89 14 100.0 72.3 22.9 2.9 1.5 0.2 4,041 612 3,429 100.0 15.1 84.9
Violent crime4 367,784 222,388 131,966 6,902 5,351 1,177 100.0 60.5 35.9 1.9 1.5 0.3 300,411 71,242 229,169 100.0 23.7 76.3
Property crime4 928,385 653,222 246,247 15,439 11,106 2,371 100.0 70.4 26.5 1.7 1.2 0.3 713,575 110,943 602,632 100.0 15.5 84.5
Other assaults 751,641 498,197 227,129 14,080 9,729 2,506 100.0 66.3 30.2 1.9 1.3 0.3 587,360 104,185 483,175 100.0 17.7 82.3
Forgery and counterfeiting 43,870 28,841 13,903 284 738 104 100.0 65.7 31.7 0.6 1.7 0.2 34,465 5,454 29,011 100.0 15.8 84.2
Fraud 97,655 66,042 29,143 1,199 1,135 136 100.0 67.6 29.8 1.2 1.2 0.1 76,301 8,700 67,601 100.0 11.4 88.6
Embezzlement 12,055 7,416 4,310 97 197 35 100.0 61.5 35.8 0.8 1.6 0.3 9,735 1,081 8,654 100.0 11.1 88.9
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 65,878 44,428 19,816 789 731 114 100.0 67.4 30.1 1.2 1.1 0.2 50,394 9,839 40,555 100.0 19.5 80.5
Vandalism 124,095 84,578 34,963 2,750 1,508 296 100.0 68.2 28.2 2.2 1.2 0.2 98,916 17,250 81,666 100.0 17.4 82.6
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 108,808 61,165 45,200 973 1,190 280 100.0 56.2 41.5 0.9 1.1 0.3 85,774 19,109 66,665 100.0 22.3 77.7
Prostitution and commercialized vice 29,927 16,662 11,268 119 1,816 62 100.0 55.7 37.7 0.4 6.1 0.2 25,387 5,071 20,316 100.0 20.0 80.0
Sex offenses (except rape and prostitution) 33,633 24,051 8,242 571 664 105 100.0 71.5 24.5 1.7 2.0 0.3 27,233 6,856 20,377 100.0 25.2 74.8
Drug abuse violations 1,165,103 823,868 315,024 11,504 12,676 2,031 100.0 70.7 27.0 1.0 1.1 0.2 933,593 184,752 748,841 100.0 19.8 80.2
Gambling 2,702 1,258 1,255 8 164 17 100.0 46.6 46.4 0.3 6.1 0.6 1,856 481 1,375 100.0 25.9 74.1
Offenses against the family and children 66,843 45,065 19,619 1,622 502 35 100.0 67.4 29.4 2.4 0.8 0.1 53,600 6,039 47,561 100.0 11.3 88.7
Driving under the influence 792,953 651,149 108,543 14,568 15,896 2,797 100.0 82.1 13.7 1.8 2.0 0.4 653,262 147,571 505,691 100.0 22.6 77.4
Liquor laws 154,916 120,125 24,622 7,358 2,440 371 100.0 77.5 15.9 4.7 1.6 0.2 112,484 15,948 96,536 100.0 14.2 85.8
Drunkenness 295,495 225,652 43,575 22,849 3,000 419 100.0 76.4 14.7 7.7 1.0 0.1 263,568 62,942 200,626 100.0 23.9 76.1
Disorderly conduct 240,023 157,126 71,089 9,292 1,988 528 100.0 65.5 29.6 3.9 0.8 0.2 171,140 20,624 150,516 100.0 12.1 87.9
Vagrancy 19,147 12,665 5,843 401 227 11 100.0 66.1 30.5 2.1 1.2 0.1 15,882 2,522 13,360 100.0 15.9 84.1
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,445,382 1,694,919 667,161 48,728 24,761 9,813 100.0 69.3 27.3 2.0 1.0 0.4 1,935,650 307,204 1,628,446 100.0 15.9 84.1
Suspicion 366 120 102 143 1 0 100.0 32.8 27.9 39.1 0.3 0.0 193 9 184 100.0 4.7 95.3
Curfew and loitering law violations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
  • 1 Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
  • 2 The ethnicity totals are representative of those agencies that provided ethnicity breakdowns. Not all agencies provide ethnicity data; therefore, the race and ethnicity totals will not equal.
  • 3 The rape figures in this table are aggregate totals of the data submitted based on both the legacy and revised Uniform Crime Reporting definitions.
  • 4 Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, 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

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Arrests, by Race and Ethnicity, 2016

  • In 2016, 69.6 percent of all individuals arrested were White, 26.9 percent were Black or African American, and 3.6 percent were of other races.
  • Of arrestees for whom ethnicity was reported, 18.4 percent were Hispanic.
  • Of all juveniles (persons under the age of 18) arrested in 2016, 62.1 percent were White, 34.7 percent were Black or African American, and 3.2 percent were of other races.
  • Of juvenile arrestees for whom ethnicity was reported, 22.8 percent were Hispanic.
  • Of all adults arrested in 2016, 70.2 percent were White, 26.2 percent were Black or African American, and 3.6 percent were of other races.
  • Of adult arrestees for whom ethnicity was reported, 18.0 were Hispanic.
  • White individuals were arrested more often for violent crimes than individuals of any other race and accounted for 59.0 percent of those arrests.
  • Of adults arrested for murder, 52.0 percent were Black or African American, 45.4 percent were White, and 2.6 percent were of other races.
  • Black or African American juveniles comprised 52.0 percent of all juveniles arrested for violent crimes. White juveniles accounted for 58.4 percent of all juveniles arrested for property crimes.
  • Of juveniles arrested for drug abuse violations, 74.8 percent were White.
  • White juveniles comprised 64.7 percent of juveniles arrested for rape and 60.2 percent of juveniles arrested for larceny-theft.