About the Indicator: 2003 narcotic arrests exclude the St. Paul Police Department.

The decrease in narcotic arrests from 2000 to 2001 is due to a change in the procedures for counting arrests. Prior to 2001, the BCA tallied all narcotic charges for each individual. The BCA's reporting system was modified to reflect the correct Uniform Crime Reporting procedures which require that only the most serious charge be counted for each individual arrested.

In 2012, reported narcotics arrests for all ages in Minnesota were lower than the national average (rate ratio = 0.57).  Rates for the state are from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA); national rates are from the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). For more national comparisons, click here State Epi Profile.

Data Source: Minnesota Crime Information, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

Description: Minnesota Crime Information is a statistical report detailing the amount of criminal activity within the State as collected and prepared from data submitted by individual law enforcement agencies. The criminal activity consists of measurements involving offenses, clearances, and arrests.

Sponsored by: Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Criminal Justice Information System

Geographic Level: State

Aggregated data at the state and county level do not reveal disparities that may exist within a given geographic area.

Frequency: Data collected and reported annually

Characteristics: Race/ethnicity is often determined by law enforcement and therefore may not be as accurate as self-reported status.