THE BLUE BRAND:

In 2016, for the first time in U.S. history, arrest rates in suburban cities were higher than those in principal cities (with populations greater than 50,000), the Vera Institute of Justice's interactive Arrest Trends tool revealed.

Since 200o, the number of arrests of both Black and white people in principal cities dropped substantially--by more than 35% each, the organization found.

But in suburban areas during the same period, the number of arrests of white people dropped by nearly 24% while arrests of Black people increased by 2.6%.

Nationally, Black people are arrested at more than twice the rate of white people.

Over the past 20 years, the United States has seen a 20% decrease in the overall arrest rate, lower rates of racial disparities in arrests, and lower youth arrest rates.

Between the lines: It appears the worsening racial inequity in arrests in suburban cities is being driven by disproportionate arrests of Black people for less serious offenses.

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