Violent Crime Arrests in Alaska

• NCJ Number: 247635
• Author(s): Brad A. Myrstol, Ph.D.
• Date Published: January 2013
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Alaska Statistical Analysis Ctr
• Sale Source: Alaska Statistical Analysis Ctr
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Statistics; Report (Annual/Periodic)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Alaska arrest data are presented for the four Part I violent offenses (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) as reported in "Crime in Alaska," which presents the State's Uniform Crime Reports data for the years 1980 through 2011.

Abstract

Since 1980, the total number of arrests made by Alaska law enforcement for Part I violent crime more than doubled, from 975 in 1980 to 2,030 in 2011 (108-percent increase). This increase in violent-crime arrests outpaced growth in the State's total population, which increased by 80 percent over the 1980-2011 time period. Overall, the Part I violent-crime arrest rate in Alaska increased 16 percent, from 244 arrests per 100,000 residents to 283 arrests per 100,000 residents. Both the total number of violent crime arrests and the overall violent crime arrest rate peaked in 2009. Arrest rates for murder/non-negligent manslaughter and forcible rape declined significantly between 1980 and 2011 (25-percent and 44-percent decrease, respectively). The overall increase in Alaska arrest rates for Part I violent crimes between 1980 and 2011 was due to consistent increases in the arrest rates for robbery and aggravated assault, accounting for approximately 90 percent of all violent crime arrests each year. Nearly all of those arrested for Part I violent crimes during the reporting period were men. The offense category with the highest percentage of females was aggravated assault (20.4 percent). Persons ages 18 to 24 had the highest probability of arrest for both murder/non-negligent manslaughter and robbery. Aggravated assault arrests were most likely to include members of the 25-34 year-old age group. In contrast, the peak age range for forcible rape arrests was 35-44 years old. Those arrested for serious violent crimes in 2011 were more likely to be White/Caucasian (46.4 percent) than Alaska Native/American Indian (36.1 percent), Black/African-American (12.3 percent), or Asian (5.2 percent). 8 figures