The demographics of crime in Minnesota, with updated 2021 data

This afternoon, the state of Minnesota published 2021 data on crime. Sadly, it’s more of the same.

Last month we reviewed the trends in violent crime in Minnesota and took a look at the demographics of both victims and perpetrators in 2020. The 2021 data tell the same story: both victims and perpetrators come from the same communities.

The state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has published their 2021 Uniform Crime Report.

Aggravated assaults were up 34 percent last year over 2020’s already elevated levels. Murders were up nine percent over 2020, and are nearly double their 2018 level. Robberies and rapes were both up, but still within their recent historical ranges.

As previously discussed, murder, and crime in general, is a young man’s game. BCA statistics show, again for 2021, the majority of known victims and the majority of known perpetrators are under the age of 35. Likewise, the vast majority of known victims and known perpetrators are male (BCA report, page 12.)

The racial characteristics of murder in Minnesota is very similar to 2020. Of known victims, 123 were African American, or 65 percent of the total. Of known perpetrators (a single murder could have more than one), 209 (76 percent) were African American.

Compare these figures to the share of African Americans in Minnesota’s population, which is less than 10 percent.

Arrests for all crimes (including both violent and non-violent, BCA Report, page 44), show a similar pattern. Most arrestees are young and male. But a majority of all arrestees for all crimes are white.

The BCA’s report contains a wealth of information.