Definition: Annual rate of all arrests in Sarasota County per 100,000 population (calculated by the Department of Law Enforcement)

Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Annual Crime Reports.

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Below is a comparison of the value for this indicator among seven coastal counties: Charlotte, Sarasota, Collier, Lee, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. These counties have been recommended as comparable counties by Sarasota County Government.

Arrest Rate per 100,000 Population (2016)

In 2016, the arrest rate in Sarasota County was 2,851 per 100,000 population. This value is a 44% decrease from 2004, and a 29% decrease from 2014. The arrest rate in Sarasota County is lower than that of the state (3,605 per 100,000 population), with a difference of 754 per 100,000 population. Between 2009 and 2016, adult males accounted for the majority of arrests in the county, and juvenile females accounted for the fewest arrests in the county. Arrest rates have risen and fallen since 2007, but racial and ethnic disparities have remained the same. Black/African Americans account for around 5% of Sarasota County’s population, but around 20% of all adult arrests. A large proportion (17%) of arrests in Sarasota County in 2016 were drug related; this was the second largest category after “miscellaneous”.

The decrease in arrest rate can be attributed to the decrease in crime by 40% decrease since 2007. According to subject matter experts, the arrest rate is also influenced economic conditions, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and access to mental healthcare. Under the implementation of the Marchman Act, individuals who might have otherwise ended up arrested or incarcerated for drug crimes are gaining access to substance abuse care. Between 2007 and 2015, Marchman Act examinations in Sarasota County  increased by 70.67%.