Politics Alabama
State Crime Facts
This page was last updated: 31 January, 2009
Crime information:
The crime information on this page is compiled completely from the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC), a state agency headquartered in Montgomery that serves citizens by providing local, state and federal criminal justice agencies with critical information. The links below allow viewing of the "Crime In Alabama" yearly reports from 1995 - 2005 in PDF format. Below that, summary tables present selected information for Alabama and selected cities for each of those years. This summary data presented below is simply a compilation of the ACJIC data, and this site is not responsible for the accuracy of those crime figures.
Important Terms:
Clearance - A measure of law enforcement activity which shows that
a crime has been solved for crime reporting
purposes either by the arrest of a suspect or by
exceptional means. Exceptional means provides a
solution to a crime when there is enough evidence
to place a formal charge against an offender, but
some element beyond law enforcement control precludes
an actual arrest. It is possible for one arrest to
clear more than one offense.
Clearance Rate - The clearance rate is achieved by taking the
number of clearances over the number of
crimes reported.
Total Crime Trends:
A crime is cleared when the police gather sufficient evidence to solve it, whether or not charges are ever brought. The clearance rate is simply the percentage of crimes that were cleared.
Total Total Violent Violent Property Property
Year Crimes Cleared Crimes Cleared Crimes Cleared
2007 194,610 35,939 (19%) 19,808 7,434 (38%) 174,802 28,505 (16%)
2006 183,802 31,704 (17%) 18,922 7,030 (37%) 164,810 24,674 (15%)
2005 188,550 34,934 (19%) 19,486 7,391 (38%) 169,064 27,543 (16%)
2004 195,598 35,428 (18%) 19,101 7,487 (39%) 176,497 27,941 (16%)
2003 194,334 34,382 (18%) 18,602 7,343 (39%) 175,732 27,039 (15%)
2002 191,953 34,044 (18%) 19,257 7,710 (40%) 172,696 26,334 (15%)
2001 182,916 33,673 (18%) 19,873 8,243 (41%) 163,043 25,430 (16%)
2000 191,141 35,639 (19%) 22,084 9,708 (44%) 169,057 25,931 (15%)
1999 186,777 33,392 (18%) 21,127 9,997 (47%) 165,650 24,645 (15%)
1998 193,139 38,769 (20%) 22,798 9,997 (44%) 170,341 28,772 (17%)
1997 207,509 43,886 (21%) 24,651 11,101 (45%) 182,858 32,785 (18%)
1996 203,463 42,767 (21%) 24,583 10,939 (44%) 178,880 31,828 (18%)
1995 204,232 42,112 (21%) 26,412 11,396 (43%) 177,820 30,716 (17%)
1994 203,802 41,755 (20%) 28,954 12,361 (43%) 174,848 29,394 (17%)
1993 198,356 40,745 (21%) 31,400 13,672 (44%) 166,956 27,073 (16%)
1992 202,733 44,632 (22%) 33,888 15,071 (44%) 168,845 29,561 (18%)
1991 209,821 44,257 (21%) 33,751 14,135 (42%) 176,070 30,122 (17%)
Avg 196,043 35,644 (19%) 23,759 10,060 (42%) 172,228 28,135 (16%)
Clearance Rates for Alabama Cities:
This chart shows the total number of crimes reported for each city, along with the percentage of those crimes cleared. Note: Clearance data was not reported for 2003. The averages do not include 2003 in the tally.
Year Birmingham Montgomery Mobile Dothan Huntsville
2007 22958 (13.8%) 14002 (7.1%) 15282 (20.5%) 3763 (25.2%) 12111 (34.2%)
2006 22182 (14.5%) 14270 (7.3%) 17019 (24.5%) 3733 (18.6%) 12934 (29.1%)
2005 22372 (16.7%) 14638 (6.4%) 15514 (21.9%) 3865 (21.7%) 12733 (28.7%)
2004 22738 (17.7%) 15087 (6.3%) 17587 (13.9%) 3489 (26.1%) 11496 (30.3%)
2003 22921 17432 17451 3158 10376
2002 21267 (19.8%) 17617 (6.9%) 17949 (14.3%) 3072 (22.5%) 10167 (27.6%)
2001 21085 (20.8%) 15784 (7.8%) 20068 (21.8%) 3105 (30.7%) 11329 (27.4%)
2000 20749 (18.4%) 16261 (8.8%) 18516 (16.9%) 3144 (34.1%) 12239 (26.5%)
1999 20710 (19.6%) 23075 (7.5%) 15417 (15.6%) 3423 (25.2%) 12949 ( 5.4%)
1998 22533 (21.7%) 21383 (7.6%) 18374 (24.5%) 2631 (33.5%) 12773 (23.8%)
1997 26397 (18.9%) 14224(11.5%) 19487 (23.8%) 4084 (32.8%) 13538 (27.0%)
1996 29283 (19.5%) 13173(11.5%) 19512 (22.4%) 2918 (27.6%) 14350 (21.3%)
1995 33037 (28.1%) 13175 (9.2%) 18872 (25.3%) 2807 (28.4%) 13104 (22.5%)
Avg 23710 (19.1%) 16163 (8.2%) 17773 (20.5%) 3322 (27.2%) 12315 (25.3%)
Clearance Breakdown, 2007:
This chart shows the 2007 clearance rates for the various crime categories for the State and five cities in Alabama.
Aggravated Larceny Auto
Area Total Homicide Rape Robbery Assault Burglary Theft Theft
National 21.2% 61% 40% 26% 54% 12% 19% 13%
Alabama 19.0% 63% 36% 32% 41% 11% 18% 20%
Birmingham 13.8% 37% 40% 41% 17% 10% 11% 13%
Dothan 25.2% 63% 42% 28% 47% 8% 29% 12%
Mobile 20.5% 88% 57% 34% 57% 14% 21% 16%
Montgomery 7.1% 72% 57% 28% 36% 5% 5% 4%
Huntsville 34.2% 73% 41% 38% 71% 21% 32% 49%
Crime Totals Per 100,000:
For easy comparison between areas of different populations, crime figures are routinely expressed in terms of the number of crimes per 100,000 population. In this way, crime rates in state/cities of varying sizes can be compared.
Crime Total Violent Violent Property Property
Index per Crime per Crime per
Year Population Total 100,000 Total 100,000 Total 100,000
2007 4,626,595 194,610 4,206.3 19,808 428.1 174,802 3,778.2
2006 4,587,564 183,802 4,006.5 18,992 414.0 164,810 3,592.5
2005 4,557,760 188,550 4,136.9 19,486 427.5 169,064 3,709.3
2004 4,530,143 195,598 4,317.7 19,101 421.6 176,497 3,896.0
2003 4,500,764 194,334 4,317.8 18,602 413.3 175,732 3,904.5
2002 4,486,455 191,953 4,278.5 19,257 429.2 172,696 3,849.2
2001 4,463,978 182,916 4,097.6 19,873 445.2 163,043 3,652.4
2000 4,447,104 191,141 4,298.1 22,084 496.6 169,057 3,801.6
1999 4,372,018 186,777 4,272.1 21,127 483.5 165,650 3,790.6
1998 4,351,937 193,139 4,438.0 22,798 523.9 170,341 3,914.1
1997 4,318,965 207,509 4,804.6 24,651 570.8 182,858 4,233.8
1996 4,272,996 203,463 4,761.6 24,583 575.3 178,880 4,186.3
1995 4,252,972 204,232 4,802.1 26,412 621.0 177,820 4,181.0
1994 4,218,979 203,802 4,830.6 28,954 686.3 174,848 4,144.3
1993 4,187,022 198,356 4,737.4 31,400 750.0 166,956 3,987.5
1992 4,135,973 202,733 4,901.7 33,888 819.3 168,845 4,082.3
1991 4,088,962 209,821 5,131.4 33,751 825.4 176,070 4,306.0
Crime Per 100,000 for Cities, 2007:
This chart shows the per 100,000 crime data for five Alabama cities.
Crime Total Violent Violent Property Property
Index per Crime per Crime per
Year Population Total 100,000 Total 100,000 Total 100,000
National 301,621,157 11.3 mil 3,730.4 1.4 mil 466.9 9.8 mil 3,263.5
Alabama 4,626,595 194,610 4,206.3 19,808 428.0 174,802 3,777.2
Birmingham 227,106 22,958 10,108.9 3,320 1,461.9 16,638 7.326.1
Dothan 63,974 3,763 5,882.1 418 653.4 3,345 5,228.7
Mobile 253,842 15,282 6,020.3 1,146 451.5 14,136 5,568.8
Montgomery 202,062 14,002 6,929.6 1,157 572.6 12,845 6,357.0
Huntsville 168,798 12,111 7,174.8 1,380 817.5 10,731 6,357.3
Analysis of crime rates in Alabama:
Since 1991, Alabama's population has increased by 13.1%. At the same time, the total number of crimes has dropped 7.2%. Violent crime has fallen to 41% of what it was in 1991 (from 33,751 violent cirmes to only 19,808 violent crimes). The actual number of property crimes has bounced up and down since 1991, and in 2007 were a mere 0.7% below the 1991 rates. As a percentage of population, however, the number of property crimes per 100,000 of population has fallen by 12.3% since 1991.
The clearance rate of crimes hasn't changed much over the years, hovering between 18% and 21% for all crimes, between 38% and 45% for violent crimes, and between 15% and 18% for property crimes.
Overall crimes and property crimes per 100,000 for the State are both above the national average, while the violent crimes per 100,000 is slightly below the national average. The cities profiled above all had crime rates that were, in most cases, far worse than both the state and national averages.
The national average clearance rate for 2007 was 21.2% overall. Alabama was below the national average for most categories of crime, exceeding it only for homicides, robberies, and auto theft.
Birmingham (Crime details over time)
The overall crime rate in Birmingham for 2007 (10,108.9 per 100,000) is more than twice the state average (4,206.3 per 100,000). The violent crime rate per 100,000 is almost 3.5 times the state average, and the property rate per 100,000 is 1.9 times the state average. The average clearance rate is below the state average. Indeed, the only clearance rate above the state average is for robberies.
Montgomery (Crime details over time)
The overall crime rate in Montgomery for 2007 (6,929.6 per 100,000) is almost twice the national average, and 1.6 times the state average. The violent crime rate per 100,000 is 1.3 times the state average, and the property rate per 100,000 is 1.7 times the state average. The average clearance rate is far below the state average... in fact, the Montgomery clearance rate is slightly bettet than one-third the state average. Of the cities examined, Montgomery's clearance rate for overall and for non-violent crimes are the only ones less than 10%. There were far more larceny thefts committed in Montgomery than any other type, and the clearance rate for that category is an abysmal 4%, as opposed to the state average of 18%.
Mobile (Crime details over time)
The overall crime rate in Mobile for 2007 (6,020.3 per 100,000) is 1.4 times the state average (4,206.3 per 100,000). The violent crime rate per 100,000 is less than 10% higher than the state average, and the property rate per 100,000 is 1.5 times the state average. The average clearance rate is above the state average, as are all categories with the sole exception of auto theft.
Huntsville (Crime details over time)
The overall crime rate in Huntsville for 2007 (7,174.8 per 100,000) is 1.7 times the state average (4,206.3 per 100,000). The violent crime rate per 100,000 is 1.9 times the state average, and the property rate per 100,000 is 1.7 times the state average. All clearance rates are above the state average.
Dothan (Crime details over time)
The overall crime rate in Dothan for 2007 (5,882.1 per 100,000) is 1.4 times the state average (4,206.3 per 100,000). The violent crime rate per 100,000 is 1.5 times the state average, and the property rate per 100,000 is 1.4 times the state average. The average clearance rate is above the state average, as are the rape, assault, and larceny rates. The clearance rate for robbery, burglary, and auto theft are all below the state average, while the homicide clearance rate matches the state average.
