U.S. arrests down 25% since pandemic onset
The Council on Criminal Justice released an analysis Thursday of FBI data showing annual U.S. arrests fell about 25% from roughly 10 million in 2019 to 7.5 million in 2024, with adult drug offense arrest rates halving since 2019. The report, led by CCJ policy director Stephanie Kennedy, also finds women comprise a growing share of arrests even as their arrest rates have declined long-term, juvenile arrests remain below 2019 levels, and women’s incarceration has risen faster than men’s since 2020.
📌 Key Facts
- Annual arrests dropped from ~10M (2019) to ~7.5M (2024), per CCJ analysis of FBI data.
- Adult drug offense arrest rate fell 50% since 2019 to 591 per 100,000 in 2024 (peak 1,537 in 2006).
- Women made up ~27% of adult arrests and girls ~31% of juvenile arrests in 2024; women’s incarceration has grown faster than men’s since 2020.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2024, the juvenile arrest rate for Black youth was 3,697 per 100,000, which is approximately three times the rate for White youth at 1,214 per 100,000.
Who Gets Arrested in America: Trends Across Four Decades, 1980-2024 — Council on Criminal Justice
From 2020 to 2024, juvenile arrests for Black youth increased by 48%, compared to an 11% increase for White youth.
Who Gets Arrested in America: Trends Across Four Decades, 1980-2024 — Council on Criminal Justice
In 2024, the juvenile arrest rate for Asian youth was 362 per 100,000, with a 45% increase from 2020.
Who Gets Arrested in America: Trends Across Four Decades, 1980-2024 — Council on Criminal Justice
Black Americans constitute 13.7% of the U.S. population as of 2024.
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States — U.S. Census Bureau
In 2022, Black Americans accounted for 25% of perceived offenders in violent incidents, according to victim reports, which is about twice their share of the population (12%).
What the data says about crime in the U.S. — Pew Research Center
In 2024, the adult arrest rate for Black individuals was 5,960 per 100,000, approximately 2.6 times the rate for White individuals at 2,278 per 100,000.
Who Gets Arrested in America: Trends Across Four Decades, 1980-2024 — Council on Criminal Justice