Arrest Efficiency
How effective is law enforcement at catching criminals? The ratio of arrests to reported crimes reveals how well different types of crimes are being addressed — and where the biggest gaps exist.
7,522,824
Total Arrests (2024)
419,423
Violent Crime Arrests
910,654
Property Crime Arrests
62%
Murder "Clearance" Rate
Arrests by Offense Type (Top 20)
| Offense | Total Arrests | % of All |
|---|---|---|
| All other offenses | 2,531,936 | 33.7% |
| Other assaults | 1,018,216 | 13.5% |
| Property crime | 910,654 | 12.1% |
| Drug abuse violations | 822,488 | 10.9% |
| Driving under the influence | 804,926 | 10.7% |
| Larceny-theft | 725,109 | 9.6% |
| Violent crime | 419,423 | 5.6% |
| Aggravated assault | 325,313 | 4.3% |
| Disorderly conduct | 271,642 | 3.6% |
| Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. | 163,091 | 2.2% |
| Vandalism | 162,380 | 2.2% |
| Burglary | 110,925 | 1.5% |
| Liquor laws | 96,890 | 1.3% |
| Fraud | 85,643 | 1.1% |
| Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing | 70,427 | 0.9% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 66,191 | 0.9% |
| Robbery | 64,804 | 0.9% |
| Offenses against the family and children | 47,175 | 0.6% |
| Forgery and counterfeiting | 36,445 | 0.5% |
| Vagrancy | 24,471 | 0.3% |
The Murder Clearance Gap
In 2024, there were 16,935 murders but only 10,522 murder arrests — a rough clearance rate of 62%. This means approximately6,413 murders went without an arrest.
Note: Arrest counts don't perfectly equal clearance rates (one arrest can clear multiple cases, or cases can be cleared by exceptional means). But the gap illustrates a fundamental challenge: for roughly every 3 murders in America, about 1 goes without anyone being arrested.
Where Police Focus Their Efforts
822,488
Drug Arrests
10.9% of all arrests
804,926
DUI Arrests
10.7% of all arrests
419,423
Violent Crime Arrests
5.6% of all arrests
Drug and DUI arrests together often exceed violent crime arrests — raising questions about policing priorities and resource allocation.
Violent Crime Arrests by State (Top 20)
| State | Violent | Drug | DUI | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 45,326 | — | 10,598 | 351,441 |
| California | 44,098 | — | 1,874 | 590,730 |
| Texas | 32,610 | — | 2,680 | 571,126 |
| Florida6,7 | 14,634 | — | 770 | 315,030 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,658 | — | 1,201 | 240,435 |
| Tennessee | 13,105 | — | 1,308 | 249,904 |
| Michigan | 12,965 | — | 446 | 169,097 |
| Arizona | 11,574 | — | 501 | 208,650 |
| Maryland | 11,534 | — | 177 | 114,083 |
| Colorado | 9,171 | — | 326 | 175,929 |
| New Jersey | 9,077 | — | 1,020 | 148,755 |
| Washington | 8,875 | — | 273 | 152,270 |
| Ohio | 8,857 | — | 201 | 165,980 |
| North Carolina | 8,799 | — | 496 | 211,218 |
| Missouri | 8,483 | — | 757 | 130,675 |
| Georgia | 8,151 | — | 969 | 172,924 |
| Virginia | 7,903 | — | 1,126 | 206,152 |
| Massachusetts | 7,672 | — | 337 | 90,793 |
| Illinois | 7,504 | — | 457 | 190,762 |
| South Carolina | 7,325 | — | 669 | 152,320 |
Understanding Arrest Data
Arrest data tells us what police do, not necessarily what crimes occur. Arrests reflect policing priorities, department resources, and local policies. A city with few drug arrests might have less drug crime — or it might have a department that doesn't prioritize drug enforcement.
The gap between crimes reported and arrests made is particularly stark for property crime. With a property crime occurring every 5 seconds but limited detective resources, most theft, burglary, and auto theft goes unsolved.