USA - number of arrests for all offenses 2020

There were over 7.63 million arrests for all offenses in the United States in 2020. This figure is a decrease from 1990 levels, when the number of arrests was over 14.1 million.

Arrest rate in the U.S.

Along with a high number of arrests, the arrest rate for all offenses in the United States was also high in 2017, with 3,152.6 arrests per 100,000 residents. However, this arrest rate is almost half that of its peak in 1996. Additionally, South Dakota had the highest arrest rate in the country in 2017, and Massachusetts had the lowest.

High numbers of arrests and unsolved crimes

A high number of arrests does not necessarily correlate to a high number of solved cases, and in the U.S., many cases remain unsolved. The crime clearance rate, or rate of closed cases, was less than half for violent crimes in U.S., and less than 20 percent for property crimes.

Number of arrests for all offenses in the United States from 1990 to 2020

Characteristic	Number of arrests
2020	7,632,473
2019	10,085,207
2018	10,310,960
2017	10,554,985
2016	10,662,252
2015	10,797,088
2014	11,205,833
2013	11,302,102
2012	12,196,959
2011	12,408,899
2010	13,120,947
2009	13,687,241
2008	14,005,615
2007	14,209,365
2006	14,380,370
2005	14,094,186
2004	13,938,071
2003	13,639,500
2002	13,741,400
2001	13,699,300
2000	13,980,300
1999	14,031,100
1998	14,528,300
1997	15,284,300
1996	15,168,100
1995	15,119,800
1994	14,648,700
1993	14,036,300
1992	14,075,100
1991	14,211,900
1990	14,195,100

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Release date

September 2021

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Region

United States

Survey time period

1990 to 2020

Supplementary notes

The number of arrests presented differ from other published numbers because of weighting. The weighting procedure calculates the proportion of all arrests attributable to an age group and multiplies this percentage by the total estimated number of arrests to determine an estimated count.

The data from previous years can be accessed at the Uniform Crime Reports section on the Website of the FBI.

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