Drug Possession Arrests Reported in Alaska, 1986–2017 — Drug Types by Sex

Abstract

This fact sheet presents data on drug possession arrests by type of drug and sex of arrestee as reported by Alaska law enforcement agencies for the 32-year period 1986 to 2017. Types of drugs include narcotics, synthetic narcotics, marijuana, and other non-narcotic drugs. Overall, males comprise roughly four out of five drug possession arrests in the state of Alaska. The female and male rates parallel one another in that they rise and fall at the same points in most years. In 2002, the synthetic narcotics and other non-narcotics possession arrest rates sharply increased for both males and females until the mid-2000s before a sharp decline and subsequent increase. Marijuana possession, the offense with the highest arrest rates, peaked at 90.4 per 100,000 female residents and 324.9 per 100,000 male residents. Synthetic narcotics possession, the offense with the lowest arrest rates, peaked at 13.8 per 100,000 female residents and 29.8 per 100,000 male residents. Narcotics possession is the only offense that peaked before 2000. Data is drawn from the annual Crime in Alaska report of the Alaska Department of Public Safety, which represents the State of Alaska's contribution to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) program.