Arrests

Year End 12/31/2020

Definitions | Limitations

The data below show Philadelphia totals for people arrested by local and state law enforcement agencies for different offense types. The facts associated with each arrest are submitted to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO). The DAO then determines which charges to bring.

  -33%

26,378 Arrests

All Offenses

  -19%

7,310 Arrests

Violent Offenses

  -9%

4,065 Arrests

Property Offenses

  -44%

7,538 Arrests

Drug Offenses

  31%

2,092 Arrests

Firearms Possession

All Offenses

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the criminal legal system. Among other changes, overall arrests and cases charged have been lower than prior years and those arrests that have happened tend to be for more serious offenses. Because of this, statistics about arrests, cases charged, and bail should be interpreted with caution.

Yearly Arrests by Police District

Data: Year End Count of Arrests by Offense Category

Offense Category 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Yr-Yr
Change 		’14-’17
Avg 		’18-’20
Avg 		’14-’17 Avg
Compared to
’18-’20 Avg
All Violent Offenses 10526 10,057 8,824 8,808 8,105 9,077 7,310 -19% 9,554 8,164 -15%
All Property Offenses 7022 6,600 6,615 6,409 4,559 4,477 4,065 -9% 6,662 4,367 -34%
All Drug Offenses 17669 15,024 13,735 15,713 14,430 13,532 7,538 -44% 15,535 11,833 -24%
All Firearms Possession 1163 1,019 1,238 1,371 1,288 1,592 2,092 31% 1,198 1,657 38%
All Other Offenses 1782 1,478 1,301 1,393 1,030 1,011 401 -60% 1,488 814 -45%
Uncategorized Offenses 8582 9,261 8,766 8,961 9,047 9,905 4,972 -50% 8,892 7,975 -10%
All Offenses 46744 43,439 40,479 42,655 38,459 39,594 26,378 -33% 43,329 34,810 -20%

Violent

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the criminal legal system. Among other changes, overall arrests and cases charged have been lower than prior years and those arrests that have happened tend to be for more serious offenses. Because of this, statistics about arrests, cases charged, and bail should be interpreted with caution.

Yearly Arrests by Police District

Data: Year End Count of Arrests by Offense Category

Offense Category 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Yr-Yr
Change 		’14-’17
Avg 		’18-’20
Avg 		’14-’17 Avg
Compared to
’18-’20 Avg
Homicide 173 180 159 151 190 228 239 5% 166 219 32%
Non-Fatal Shooting** · 202 230 232 213 273 275 1% 221 254 15%
Rape 321 325 295 345 359 341 269 -21% 322 323 0%
Robbery/Gun 1009 790 767 656 492 517 385 -26% 806 465 -42%
Robbery/Other 1316 1,348 1,086 1,127 983 1,071 712 -34% 1,219 922 -24%
Aggravated Assault/Gun 1007 863 688 681 670 781 836 7% 810 762 -6%
Aggravated Assault/Other 3186 2,973 2,753 2,691 2,621 2,807 2,323 -17% 2,901 2,584 -11%
Other Assaults 3301 3,181 2,679 2,684 2,351 2,746 2,040 -26% 2,961 2,379 -20%
Sexual Assault and Other Sex Offenses 213 195 167 241 226 313 231 -26% 204 257 26%
All Violent Offenses 10526 10,057 8,824 8,808 8,105 9,077 7,310 -19% 9,554 8,164 -15%

Property

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the criminal legal system. Among other changes, overall arrests and cases charged have been lower than prior years and those arrests that have happened tend to be for more serious offenses. Because of this, statistics about arrests, cases charged, and bail should be interpreted with caution.

Yearly Arrests by Police District

Data: Year End Count of Arrests by Offense Category

Offense Category 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Yr-Yr
Change 		’14-’17
Avg 		’18-’20
Avg 		’14-’17 Avg
Compared to
’18-’20 Avg
Burglary/Residential 1082 926 905 879 797 909 645 -29% 948 784 -17%
Burglary/Commercial 336 353 348 363 338 282 1,118 296% 350 579 65%
Theft of Motor Vehicle Tag 7 5 6 8 11 8 8 0% 6 9 50%
Theft from Person 45 46 46 47 22 25 18 -28% 46 22 -52%
Theft from Auto 559 608 546 641 575 532 370 -30% 588 492 -16%
Retail Theft 2275 2,272 2,277 2,131 565 399 325 -19% 2,239 430 -81%
Theft 913 837 875 934 759 784 480 -39% 890 674 -24%
Auto Theft 903 753 882 716 888 890 737 -17% 814 838 3%
Fraud/Theft of Services 737 650 590 507 473 491 291 -41% 621 418 -33%
Embezzlement 165 150 140 183 131 157 73 -54% 160 120 -25%
All Property Offenses 7022 6,600 6,615 6,409 4,559 4,477 4,065 -9% 6,662 4,367 -34%

Drugs

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the criminal legal system. Among other changes, overall arrests and cases charged have been lower than prior years and those arrests that have happened tend to be for more serious offenses. Because of this, statistics about arrests, cases charged, and bail should be interpreted with caution.

Yearly Arrests by Police District

Data: Year End Count of Arrests by Offense Category

Offense Category 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Yr-Yr
Change 		’14-’17
Avg 		’18-’20
Avg 		’14-’17 Avg
Compared to
’18-’20 Avg
Drug Possession 7209 5,171 4,440 5,378 5,354 4,845 2,092 -57% 5,550 4,097 -26%
Drug Sales 6572 5,903 5,532 6,816 6,087 6,323 3,838 -39% 6,206 5,416 -13%
DUI 3888 3,950 3,763 3,519 2,989 2,364 1,608 -32% 3,780 2,320 -39%
All Drug Offenses 17669 15,024 13,735 15,713 14,430 13,532 7,538 -44% 15,535 11,833 -24%

Firearms

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the criminal legal system. Among other changes, overall arrests and cases charged have been lower than prior years and those arrests that have happened tend to be for more serious offenses. Because of this, statistics about arrests, cases charged, and bail should be interpreted with caution.

Yearly Arrests by Police District

Data: Year End Count of Arrests by Offense Category

Offense Category 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Yr-Yr
Change 		’14-’17
Avg 		’18-’20
Avg 		’14-’17 Avg
Compared to
’18-’20 Avg
Illegal Firearms Possession 1163 1,019 1,238 1,371 1,288 1,592 2,092 31% 1,198 1,657 38%
All Firearms Possession 1163 1,019 1,238 1,371 1,288 1,592 2,092 31% 1,198 1,657 38%

Other

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the criminal legal system. Among other changes, overall arrests and cases charged have been lower than prior years and those arrests that have happened tend to be for more serious offenses. Because of this, statistics about arrests, cases charged, and bail should be interpreted with caution.

Yearly Arrests by Police District

Data: Year End Count of Arrests by Offense Category

Offense Category 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Yr-Yr
Change 		’14-’17
Avg 		’18-’20
Avg 		’14-’17 Avg
Compared to
’18-’20 Avg
Prostitution/Sex Work 1070 884 759 869 612 518 99 -81% 896 410 -54%
Patronizing Prostitutes 319 191 217 214 117 122 45 -63% 235 95 -60%
Threats of Violence 393 403 325 310 301 371 257 -31% 358 310 -13%
All Other Offenses 1782 1,478 1,301 1,393 1,030 1,011 401 -60% 1,488 814 -45%