Arrests by offense, age, and race

Statistical Briefing Book > Law Enforcement & Juvenile Crime

Estimated number of arrests by offense and race, 2020
Age: All ages

Offenses	All races	White	Black	American Indian	Asian
All offenses	7,632,470	5,335,610	1,992,510	185,300	119,050
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter	12,440	5,680	6,380	180	210
Rape	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Robbery	67,900	32,080	33,650	990	1,190
Aggravated assault	381,190	236,520	127,010	9,780	7,880
Burglary	149,350	103,400	41,390	2,360	2,200
Larceny-theft	629,020	425,220	182,210	13,200	8,400
Motor vehicle theft	83,220	58,270	21,880	1,750	1,310
Arson	9,780	7,100	2,170	240	260
Simple assault	906,980	591,230	277,590	21,650	16,520
Forgery and counterfeiting	32,500	22,350	9,210	340	600
Fraud	79,520	52,680	23,870	1,620	1,340
Embezzlement	9,390	5,670	3,440	100	180
Stolen property (buying, receiving, possessing)	88,320	54,800	30,320	1,400	1,790
Vandalism	173,770	118,440	48,380	4,270	2,690
Weapons (carrying, possessing, etc.)	166,200	86,160	76,020	1,740	2,280
Prostitution and commercialized vice	16,770	8,890	6,850	80	950
Sex offenses (except rape & prostitution)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Drug abuse violations	1,155,610	834,800	287,430	17,230	16,150
Gambling	1,630	1,030	350	10	230
Offenses against the family and children	59,400	40,520	14,220	4,110	550
Driving under the influence	778,910	628,640	117,280	16,850	16,140
Liquor laws	104,200	81,300	14,400	6,950	1,550
Drunkenness	194,250	147,980	27,530	16,370	2,370
Disorderly conduct	225,800	147,530	65,260	10,430	2,580
Vagrancy	13,650	9,070	3,840	530	210
All other offenses (except traffic)	2,228,330	1,589,870	556,680	51,800	29,980
Curfew and loitering	11,680	8,260	2,950	300	170
Violent Crime Index	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Property Crime Index	871,370	593,990	247,650	17,550	12,180
Violent crimes*	461,540	274,280	167,030	10,950	9,280

Violent Crime Index includes murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Property Crime Index includes, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

NA: Beginning in 2013, the FBI broadened the definition of rape, removing the phrase "forcible" from the offense name and description. The new definition of rape is: Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim. The new definition includes the NIBRS offenses of rape, sodomy, and sexual assault with an object.

Law enforcement agencies may submit data on rape arrests based on either the new or legacy definition of rape. Due to differences in agency reporting practices, national estimates for the offenses of "rape" and "sex offenses" are not available after 2012. Additionally, estimates for the Violent Crime Index (which included "forcible rape") are not shown after 2012 as this category is no longer compatible with prior years.

* The "violent crimes" category includes the offenses of murder, robbery, and aggravated assault and is presented as an alternative to the Violent Crime Index, which is not available as a result of the change to the definition of rape in 2013. In any given year prior to the change in the rape definition, these three offenses accounted for more than 95% of arrests for Violent Crime Index offenses.

2020 was the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, which may have impacted policies, procedures, and data collection activities. Additionally, stay-at-home orders likely impacted the volume and type of law-violating behavior that came to the attention of law enforcement in 2020.

Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Estimated number of arrests by offense and race, 2020. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/ucr.asp?table_in=2. Released on July 08, 2022.

Data source: Arrest estimates for 1980-2014 developed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and disseminated through "Arrest Data Analysis Tool." Online. Available from the BJS website.

Arrest estimates for 2015-2020 were developed by the National Center for Juvenile Justice based on the FBI’s annual Master Arrest Files of 12-month reporting departments available from the Crime Data Explorer. Arrest estimates for 2015-2019 were revised in June 2022.