Crime in the United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation

Table 43

Arrests
by Race, 2005
[10,974 agencies; 2005 estimated population 217,722,329]

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 10,189,691 7,117,040 2,830,778 135,877 105,996 100.0 69.8 27.8 1.3 1.0
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 10,083 4,955 4,898 109 121 100.0 49.1 48.6 1.1 1.2
Forcible rape 18,405 11,980 6,015 222 188 100.0 65.1 32.7 1.2 1.0
Robbery 84,785 35,796 47,700 512 777 100.0 42.2 56.3 0.6 0.9
Aggravated assault 329,247 208,253 113,062 4,337 3,595 100.0 63.3 34.3 1.3 1.1
Burglary 217,894 151,757 62,045 2,196 1,896 100.0 69.6 28.5 1.0 0.9
Larceny-theft 846,213 586,393 236,608 11,332 11,880 100.0 69.3 28.0 1.3 1.4
Motor vehicle theft 107,604 67,578 37,489 1,103 1,434 100.0 62.8 34.8 1.0 1.3
Arson 11,780 9,026 2,493 124 137 100.0 76.6 21.2 1.1 1.2
Violent crime2 442,520 260,984 171,675 5,180 4,681 100.0 59.0 38.8 1.2 1.1
Property crime2 1,183,491 814,754 338,635 14,755 15,347 100.0 68.8 28.6 1.2 1.3
Other assaults 944,820 615,268 305,398 13,529 10,625 100.0 65.1 32.3 1.4 1.1
Forgery and counterfeiting 83,747 59,221 23,104 471 951 100.0 70.7 27.6 0.6 1.1
Fraud 217,650 149,618 65,424 1,243 1,365 100.0 68.7 30.1 0.6 0.6
Embezzlement 13,730 9,201 4,262 97 170 100.0 67.0 31.0 0.7 1.2
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 97,075 62,215 33,184 748 928 100.0 64.1 34.2 0.8 1.0
Vandalism 203,578 152,621 45,807 3,095 2,055 100.0 75.0 22.5 1.5 1.0
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 141,286 83,830 55,168 1,011 1,277 100.0 59.3 39.0 0.7 0.9
Prostitution and commercialized vice 62,501 34,436 26,104 612 1,349 100.0 55.1 41.8 1.0 2.2
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 64,395 47,392 15,647 687 669 100.0 73.6 24.3 1.1 1.0
Drug abuse violations 1,330,802 861,645 451,375 8,600 9,182 100.0 64.7 33.9 0.6 0.7
Gambling 8,064 2,087 5,731 24 222 100.0 25.9 71.1 0.3 2.8
Offenses against the family and children 89,170 61,122 25,834 1,683 531 100.0 68.5 29.0 1.9 0.6
Driving under the influence 976,797 863,955 88,656 13,682 10,504 100.0 88.4 9.1 1.4 1.1
Liquor laws 430,992 367,991 46,769 11,916 4,316 100.0 85.4 10.9 2.8 1.0
Drunkenness 399,059 334,158 53,709 8,976 2,216 100.0 83.7 13.5 2.2 0.6
Disorderly conduct 493,708 316,467 165,850 7,712 3,679 100.0 64.1 33.6 1.6 0.7
Vagrancy 24,359 14,452 9,364 412 131 100.0 59.3 38.4 1.7 0.5
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,794,372 1,881,076 842,609 39,022 31,665 100.0 67.3 30.2 1.4 1.1
Suspicion 2,744 1,840 885 12 7 100.0 67.1 32.3 0.4 0.3
Curfew and loitering law violations 103,886 64,881 36,928 876 1,201 100.0 62.5 35.5 0.8 1.2
Runaways 80,945 57,826 18,660 1,534 2,925 100.0 71.4 23.1 1.9 3.6
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 1,570,282 1,059,742 469,382 20,490 20,668 100.0 67.5 29.9 1.3 1.3
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 924 397 499 18 10 100.0 43.0 54.0 1.9 1.1
Forcible rape 2,851 1,834 969 31 17 100.0 64.3 34.0 1.1 0.6
Robbery 21,460 6,598 14,487 96 279 100.0 30.7 67.5 0.4 1.3
Aggravated assault 44,845 24,951 18,942 487 465 100.0 55.6 42.2 1.1 1.0
Burglary 57,054 38,287 17,663 565 539 100.0 67.1 31.0 1.0 0.9
Larceny-theft 218,383 149,754 61,407 3,176 4,046 100.0 68.6 28.1 1.5 1.9
Motor vehicle theft 27,499 14,798 11,943 349 409 100.0 53.8 43.4 1.3 1.5
Arson 5,787 4,575 1,076 63 73 100.0 79.1 18.6 1.1 1.3
Violent crime2 70,080 33,780 34,897 632 771 100.0 48.2 49.8 0.9 1.1
Property crime2 308,723 207,414 92,089 4,153 5,067 100.0 67.2 29.8 1.3 1.6
Other assaults 181,114 105,684 71,486 2,063 1,881 100.0 58.4 39.5 1.1 1.0
Forgery and counterfeiting 3,051 2,259 725 18 49 100.0 74.0 23.8 0.6 1.6
Fraud 5,796 3,723 1,981 32 60 100.0 64.2 34.2 0.6 1.0
Embezzlement 849 532 293 8 16 100.0 62.7 34.5 0.9 1.9
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 16,305 8,941 7,019 146 199 100.0 54.8 43.0 0.9 1.2
Vandalism 76,096 59,349 14,961 955 831 100.0 78.0 19.7 1.3 1.1
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 32,949 20,154 12,161 253 381 100.0 61.2 36.9 0.8 1.2
Prostitution and commercialized vice 1,200 501 670 9 20 100.0 41.8 55.8 0.8 1.7
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 11,979 8,534 3,226 110 109 100.0 71.2 26.9 0.9 0.9
Drug abuse violations 139,776 96,207 41,076 1,301 1,192 100.0 68.8 29.4 0.9 0.9
Gambling 1,463 106 1,349 0 8 100.0 7.2 92.2 0.0 0.5
Offenses against the family and children 3,850 3,042 714 80 14 100.0 79.0 18.5 2.1 0.4
Driving under the influence 12,584 11,744 502 223 115 100.0 93.3 4.0 1.8 0.9
Liquor laws 91,800 84,107 4,322 2,535 836 100.0 91.6 4.7 2.8 0.9
Drunkenness 11,401 10,122 951 230 98 100.0 88.8 8.3 2.0 0.9
Disorderly conduct 147,976 87,640 57,331 1,889 1,116 100.0 59.2 38.7 1.3 0.8
Vagrancy 3,416 2,702 676 12 26 100.0 79.1 19.8 0.4 0.8
All other offenses (except traffic) 264,643 190,241 67,221 3,429 3,752 100.0 71.9 25.4 1.3 1.4
Suspicion 400 253 144 2 1 100.0 63.3 36.0 0.5 0.3
Curfew and loitering law violations 103,886 64,881 36,928 876 1,201 100.0 62.5 35.5 0.8 1.2
Runaways 80,945 57,826 18,660 1,534 2,925 100.0 71.4 23.1 1.9 3.6
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 8,619,409 6,057,298 2,361,396 115,387 85,328 100.0 70.3 27.4 1.3 1.0
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 9,159 4,558 4,399 91 111 100.0 49.8 48.0 1.0 1.2
Forcible rape 15,554 10,146 5,046 191 171 100.0 65.2 32.4 1.2 1.1
Robbery 63,325 29,198 33,213 416 498 100.0 46.1 52.4 0.7 0.8
Aggravated assault 284,402 183,302 94,120 3,850 3,130 100.0 64.5 33.1 1.4 1.1
Burglary 160,840 113,470 44,382 1,631 1,357 100.0 70.5 27.6 1.0 0.8
Larceny-theft 627,830 436,639 175,201 8,156 7,834 100.0 69.5 27.9 1.3 1.2
Motor vehicle theft 80,105 52,780 25,546 754 1,025 100.0 65.9 31.9 0.9 1.3
Arson 5,993 4,451 1,417 61 64 100.0 74.3 23.6 1.0 1.1
Violent crime2 372,440 227,204 136,778 4,548 3,910 100.0 61.0 36.7 1.2 1.0
Property crime2 874,768 607,340 246,546 10,602 10,280 100.0 69.4 28.2 1.2 1.2
Other assaults 763,706 509,584 233,912 11,466 8,744 100.0 66.7 30.6 1.5 1.1
Forgery and counterfeiting 80,696 56,962 22,379 453 902 100.0 70.6 27.7 0.6 1.1
Fraud 211,854 145,895 63,443 1,211 1,305 100.0 68.9 29.9 0.6 0.6
Embezzlement 12,881 8,669 3,969 89 154 100.0 67.3 30.8 0.7 1.2
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 80,770 53,274 26,165 602 729 100.0 66.0 32.4 0.7 0.9
Vandalism 127,482 93,272 30,846 2,140 1,224 100.0 73.2 24.2 1.7 1.0
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 108,337 63,676 43,007 758 896 100.0 58.8 39.7 0.7 0.8
Prostitution and commercialized vice 61,301 33,935 25,434 603 1,329 100.0 55.4 41.5 1.0 2.2
Sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 52,416 38,858 12,421 577 560 100.0 74.1 23.7 1.1 1.1
Drug abuse violations 1,191,026 765,438 410,299 7,299 7,990 100.0 64.3 34.4 0.6 0.7
Gambling 6,601 1,981 4,382 24 214 100.0 30.0 66.4 0.4 3.2
Offenses against the family and children 85,320 58,080 25,120 1,603 517 100.0 68.1 29.4 1.9 0.6
Driving under the influence 964,213 852,211 88,154 13,459 10,389 100.0 88.4 9.1 1.4 1.1
Liquor laws 339,192 283,884 42,447 9,381 3,480 100.0 83.7 12.5 2.8 1.0
Drunkenness 387,658 324,036 52,758 8,746 2,118 100.0 83.6 13.6 2.3 0.5
Disorderly conduct 345,732 228,827 108,519 5,823 2,563 100.0 66.2 31.4 1.7 0.7
Vagrancy 20,943 11,750 8,688 400 105 100.0 56.1 41.5 1.9 0.5
All other offenses (except traffic) 2,529,729 1,690,835 775,388 35,593 27,913 100.0 66.8 30.7 1.4 1.1
Suspicion 2,344 1,587 741 10 6 100.0 67.7 31.6 0.4 0.3
Curfew and loitering law violations - - - - - - - - - -
Runaways - - - - - - - - - -

Back to Top

Data Declaration

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

Overview

Download Printable Document

  • In 2005, 69.8 percent of all persons arrested in the United States were white and 27.8 percent were black. The remainder of persons arrested were American Indian or Alaskan Native (1.3 percent) and Asian or Pacific Islander (1.0 percent).
  • Sixty-one percent of all adults arrested for violent crime were white, and 69.4 percent of adults arrested for property crime were white.
  • White adults were arrested most often for driving under the influence, registering 852,211 arrests for that offense.
  • Black adults were most often arrested for drug abuse violations, registering 410,299 arrests for that offense.
  • The number of juveniles arrested for violent crime was almost equally divided between black juveniles (49.8 percent) and white juveniles (48.2 percent). White juveniles accounted for the majority of juveniles arrested for property crime (67.2 percent).
  • White juveniles were arrested for larceny-theft more often than for any offense with 149,754 arrests. Black juveniles were arrested most often for other (simple) assaults with 71,486 arrests.
Crime in the United States 2005
Department of Justice — Federal Bureau of Investigation
Release Date: September 2006