Definition: Rate of arrests per 100,000 population (estimate from Department of Law Enforcement) due to drug related offenses.

Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Uniform Crime Reports

No Target

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.

Drug Arrest Rate per 100,000 Population (2016)

In 2016, the rate of drug related arrests in Sarasota County was 478 per 100,000 population. This is a 28% decrease since 2004. Sarasota County has a lower drug arrest rate than the state of Florida, with a difference of 90 arrests per 100,000 population. Black/African Americans and males are disproportionately arrested for drug related offenses. 28% of adults arrested for drug offenses in 2015 were Black/African Americans, this demographic makes up 5% of the county’s population. 74% of adults arrested for drug offenses in 2015 were males, this demographic makes up 49% of the county’s population.

Historical increases in incarceration rates due to drug related offenses can be partially attributed to the national tough-on-crime policies which began in the 1970’s and continued through the 1990’s and present day. Nationally, arrests due to drug offenses multiplied by eight times between 1980 and 1997. The drug arrest rate in Sarasota may also be influenced by the high rate of substance abuse, and the lack of access to mental healthcare services for many of the low-income individuals that suffer from drug addiction. However, under the implementation of the Marchman Act, individuals who might otherwise end up arrested or incarcerated for drug crimes are gaining access to substance abuse care. Since 2007, Marchman Act examinations in Sarasota County have increased by 70.67%.