Alabama Violent Crime Trends and Statistics
Alabama's statewide population in 1960 was above 3.2 million people. Current population figures are now at above 4.5 million people.
Violent crime rates in the early 1960s were at the states lowest with slightly above 157 reports per 100,000 population. Crime rates climbed during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, topping at 871.7 instances per 100,000 people. Since 1992, there has been a steady decline to 429.5 reports in 2003.
Murder and nonlegligent manslaughter rates held steady since 1960, averaging slightly above 10 persons. However, that figure has dropped to just above 6 persons in the early 2000s. The national rate is 5.7 persons per 100,000.
In an effort to alleviate hardships suffered by victims of crime, the Alabama Legislature passed the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission Law on June 1, 1984. Alabama's compensation law covers a variety of expenses for which compensation is paid. The Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission provides the only substantial financial compensation to victims for expenses for personal injuries including medical, funeral and counseling bills.
This assistance lessens the financial burden on innocent victims of violent crime and serves as a vehicle of hope for the rights of crime victims. Our state law is unique. It requires a victim or family member of a victim of violent crime to serve on the three-member Commission which hears victim compensation cases. This provision insures that claims are reviewed from the victim's standpoint.
For more information, you can call (334) 290-4420.
Left column are the total number of reports received.
Right column (rate) are the number of reports per 100,000 population.
| Year | Population | Violent crime total | Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter | Forcible rape | Robbery | Aggravated assault | Violent Crime rate | Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate | Forcible rape rate | Robbery rate | Aggravated assault rate | ||||||||||||||||
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| 1960 | 3,266,740 | 6,097 | 406 | 281 | 898 | 4,512 | 186.6 | 12.4 | 8.6 | 27.5 | 138.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1961 | 3,302,000 | 5,564 | 427 | 252 | 630 | 4,255 | 168.5 | 12.9 | 7.6 | 19.1 | 128.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1962 | 3,358,000 | 5,283 | 316 | 218 | 754 | 3,995 | 157.3 | 9.4 | 6.5 | 22.5 | 119.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1963 | 3,347,000 | 6,115 | 340 | 192 | 828 | 4,755 | 182.7 | 10.2 | 5.7 | 24.7 | 142.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1964 | 3,407,000 | 7,260 | 316 | 397 | 992 | 5,555 | 213.1 | 9.3 | 11.7 | 29.1 | 163.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1965 | 3,462,000 | 6,916 | 395 | 367 | 992 | 5,162 | 199.8 | 11.4 | 10.6 | 28.7 | 149.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1966 | 3,517,000 | 8,098 | 384 | 341 | 1,124 | 6,249 | 230.3 | 10.9 | 9.7 | 32.0 | 177.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1967 | 3,540,000 | 8,448 | 415 | 371 | 1,167 | 6,495 | 238.6 | 11.7 | 10.5 | 33.0 | 183.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1968 | 3,566,000 | 8,288 | 421 | 396 | 1,462 | 6,009 | 232.4 | 11.8 | 11.1 | 41.0 | 168.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1969 | 3,531,000 | 8,842 | 485 | 494 | 1,448 | 6,415 | 250.4 | 13.7 | 14.0 | 41.0 | 181.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1970 | 3,444,165 | 10,185 | 404 | 637 | 1,731 | 7,413 | 295.7 | 11.7 | 18.5 | 50.3 | 215.2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1971 | 3,479,000 | 10,835 | 524 | 661 | 2,005 | 7,645 | 311.4 | 15.1 | 19.0 | 57.6 | 219.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1972 | 3,510,000 | 10,994 | 496 | 660 | 2,407 | 7,431 | 313.2 | 14.1 | 18.8 | 68.6 | 211.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1973 | 3,539,000 | 12,390 | 468 | 751 | 2,809 | 8,362 | 350.1 | 13.2 | 21.2 | 79.4 | 236.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1974 | 3,577,000 | 13,338 | 536 | 811 | 3,562 | 8,429 | 372.9 | 15.0 | 22.7 | 99.6 | 235.6 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1975 | 3,614,000 | 14,201 | 577 | 738 | 4,446 | 8,440 | 392.9 | 16.0 | 20.4 | 123.0 | 233.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1976 | 3,665,000 | 14,248 | 553 | 794 | 3,520 | 9,381 | 388.8 | 15.1 | 21.7 | 96.0 | 256.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1977 | 3,690,000 | 15,293 | 524 | 929 | 3,572 | 10,268 | 414.4 | 14.2 | 25.2 | 96.8 | 278.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1978 | 3,742,000 | 15,682 | 499 | 954 | 3,708 | 10,521 | 419.1 | 13.3 | 25.5 | 99.1 | 281.2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1979 | 3,769,000 | 15,578 | 496 | 1,037 | 4,127 | 9,918 | 413.3 | 13.2 | 27.5 | 109.5 | 263.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 3,861,466 | 17,320 | 509 | 1,158 | 5,102 | 10,551 | 448.5 | 13.2 | 30.0 | 132.1 | 273.2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1981 | 3,916,000 | 18,423 | 465 | 1,021 | 4,952 | 11,985 | 470.5 | 11.9 | 26.1 | 126.5 | 306.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1982 | 3,943,000 | 17,653 | 417 | 1,026 | 4,417 | 11,793 | 447.7 | 10.6 | 26.0 | 112.0 | 299.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1983 | 3,959,000 | 16,471 | 364 | 931 | 3,895 | 11,281 | 416.0 | 9.2 | 23.5 | 98.4 | 284.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1984 | 3,990,000 | 17,204 | 374 | 1,002 | 3,833 | 11,995 | 431.2 | 9.4 | 25.1 | 96.1 | 300.6 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1985 | 4,021,000 | 18,398 | 396 | 1,079 | 4,237 | 12,686 | 457.5 | 9.8 | 26.8 | 105.4 | 315.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | 4,053,000 | 22,616 | 409 | 1,150 | 4,523 | 16,534 | 558.0 | 10.1 | 28.4 | 111.6 | 407.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1987 | 4,083,000 | 22,833 | 380 | 1,137 | 4,581 | 16,735 | 559.2 | 9.3 | 27.8 | 112.2 | 409.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | 4,127,000 | 23,052 | 408 | 1,228 | 4,860 | 16,556 | 558.6 | 9.9 | 29.8 | 117.8 | 401.2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1989 | 4,118,000 | 24,329 | 421 | 1,276 | 5,515 | 17,117 | 590.8 | 10.2 | 31.0 | 133.9 | 415.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | 4,040,587 | 28,630 | 467 | 1,319 | 5,805 | 21,039 | 708.6 | 11.6 | 32.6 | 143.7 | 520.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | 4,089,000 | 34,518 | 469 | 1,455 | 6,246 | 26,348 | 844.2 | 11.5 | 35.6 | 152.8 | 644.4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | 4,136,000 | 36,052 | 455 | 1,704 | 6,819 | 27,074 | 871.7 | 11.0 | 41.2 | 164.9 | 654.6 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1993 | 4,187,000 | 32,676 | 484 | 1,471 | 6,677 | 24,044 | 780.4 | 11.6 | 35.1 | 159.5 | 574.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | 4,219,000 | 28,844 | 501 | 1,487 | 7,223 | 19,633 | 683.7 | 11.9 | 35.2 | 171.2 | 465.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 4,253,000 | 26,894 | 475 | 1,350 | 7,900 | 17,169 | 632.4 | 11.2 | 31.7 | 185.8 | 403.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | 4,273,000 | 24,159 | 444 | 1,397 | 7,124 | 15,194 | 565.4 | 10.0 | 33.0 | 167.0 | 356.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | 4,319,000 | 24,379 | 426 | 1,396 | 6,931 | 15,626 | 564.5 | 9.9 | 32.3 | 160.5 | 361.8 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | 4,352,000 | 22,286 | 354 | 1,443 | 5,698 | 14,791 | 512.1 | 8.1 | 33.2 | 130.9 | 339.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | 4,370,000 | 21,421 | 345 | 1,513 | 5,297 | 14,266 | 490.2 | 7.9 | 34.6 | 121.2 | 326.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | 4,447,100 | 21,620 | 329 | 1,482 | 5,702 | 14,107 | 486.2 | 7.4 | 33.3 | 128.2 | 317.2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | 4,464,356 | 19,582 | 379 | 1,369 | 5,584 | 12,250 | 438.6 | 8.5 | 30.7 | 125.1 | 274.4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | 4,478,896 | 19,931 | 303 | 1,664 | 5,962 | 12,002 | 445.0 | 6.8 | 37.2 | 133.1 | 268.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 4,500,752 | 19,331 | 299 | 1,656 | 6,038 | 11,338 | 429.5 | 6.6 | 36.8 | 134.2 | 251.9 | ||||||||||||||||