Crime Rankings – Law Street

Crime in America 2017

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 21:51:08 +0000

Image copyright of Law Street Media

Law Street Media’s comprehensive Crime in America 2017 coverage provides a look at the safety of our cities and towns around the United States. Based on data provided in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, Law Street analyzes the data to provide lists of the safest and most dangerous cities around the U.S. Take a look at the rankings and features below to discover how safe your city actually is. Check back regularly for continued reporting and additional features.

Rankings

Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Safest Cities Over 200,000

Safest and Most Dangerous States

Interactive Dashboard

Crime Trends in America’s Largest Cities

Charts and Data

Interactive Map: How Murder Rates Changed in America’s Largest Cities

What Do Motor Vehicle Theft Rates Look Like Across the U.S.?

FBI: Crime in the United States 2015

NOTES

Kevin Rizzo

Kevin Rizzo is the Crime in America Editor at Law Street Media. An Ohio Native, the George Washington University graduate is a founding member of the company. Contact Kevin at krizzo@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Crime in America 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 21:30:19 +0000

Image courtesy of [OCParks_CA via Flickr]

Irvine, California, and Gilbert, Arizona, remained the two safest cities in the United States with populations over 200,000 for the fourth year in a row. Newcomers to this year’s list included Glendale, California, which previously wasn’t included because its population was below the 200,000 person threshold, and Scottsdale, Arizona, which was not included in the FBI’s statistics last year. While the overall rate of violent crime rose by a small margin in the United States–roughly 3 percent–the safest cities were a mixed bag, with both notable increases and decreases in violent crime rates.

All statistics are based on 2015 data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. Check out the slideshow below for the Top 10 Most Safest Cities Over 200,000.

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

#1 Irvine, California

Image courtesy of Orbitgal via Flickr

Irvine topped the list of Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000 for the fourth year running. Irvine’s violent crime rate did rise by about 14 percent, but it was not enough to drop the California city from the #1 spot on the list. In raw numbers, Irvine only had 24 more violent crimes in 2015 than in 2014. Irvine’s population also rose, by over six percent. Additionally, Irvine saw two murders in 2015, compared to zero in 2014. The increase in the overall count mainly came from the increased instances of robbery, which rose by almost 60 percent to a total of 58.

Violent Crime Rate: 56/100,000 people*
Murder Rate: 1/100,000 people
Population: 258,198
Officer to Population Ratio: 1:1,272
Rank Last Year: #1

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*Irvine, California switched the way it reports rape incidents during the 2015 calendar year, moving from the FBI’s legacy definition to the FBI’s revised definition, which is more inclusive. For more information about the definition change, click here.

Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here for additional information on Law Street’s crime-ranking methodology.

Source:

FBI: Violent crime, population, murder, and officer statistics, measured January – December 2015.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 21:15:31 +0000

Image courtesy of [Alexbaumgarner via Wikimedia]

Rockford, Illinois, is the most dangerous city in the U.S. with a population between 100,000-200,000 people, displacing Little Rock, Arkansas, which now ranks as #2. Tallahassee, Florida moved onto the list at #8 after just missing the cut at #12 last year; Odessa, Texas also moved from #11 to #9. Many of the rest of the positions held steady and only saw small increases or decreases in their violent crime rates.

All statistics are based on 2015 data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. Check out the slideshow below for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000.

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

#1 Rockford, Illinois

Image courtesy of Alexbaumgarner via Wikimedia Commons

Rockford, Illinois has displaced Little Rock, Arkansas, as the most dangerous city with a population between 100,000-200,000 people. Rockford saw a 28 percent increase in its violent crime rate last year, after a 10 percent decrease the year before. However, Rockford’s murder rate only increased slightly, from 11 per 100,000 people in 2014 to 13 per 100,000 people in 2015. The most dramatic jumps came from increases in the numbers of robbery and aggravated assault, rising by 22 percent and 30 percent respectively.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,585/100,000 people
Murder Rate: 13/100,000 people
Population: 148,178
Officer to Population Ratio: 1:529
Rank Last Year: #2

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Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here for additional information on Law Street’s crime-ranking methodology.

Source:

FBI: Violent crime, population, murder, and officer statistics, measured January – December 2015.

Editor’s Note: This post was updated to remedy a spelling issue.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 19:24:10 +0000

"Peekaboo Arch. St. Louis, Missouri" courtesy of [DukeNewport Photography via Flickr]

St. Louis, Missouri moved from #4 to #1 this year on Law Street’s list of Dangerous Cities Over 200,000 after its violent crime rate rose by more than 8 percent. As violent crime increased nationally by nearly 4 percent, many cities in the top 10 saw substantial increases. Detroit is #2 on this year’s list, moving down after three consecutive years at the top of the list due to an 11.5 percent decrease in its overall violent crime rate. Notably missing from this year’s list is Cleveland, Ohio, which had ranked #8 on last year’s list. The FBI did not provide information for Cleveland this year, and therefore the city cannot be ranked.

All statistics are based on 2015 data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. Check out the slideshow below for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000.

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES UNDER 200,000

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP 10 SAFEST CITIES OVER 200,000

#1 St. Louis, Missouri

Image courtesy of Kevin McCoy via Wikimedia Commons

A significant violent crime spike in St. Louis, Missouri put the city at the top of Law Street’s list of the Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000. The violent crime rate in St. Louis went up by more than 8 percent in 2015, going from 1,679 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2014 to 1,817 per 100,000 last year. That increase moved the city up from the #4 spot in last year’s rankings. St. Louis also saw 29 additional murders in 2015, going from 159 in 2014 to 188 in 2015. The city had a murder rate of 59 murders per 100,000 in 2015. Additionally, the number of robberies and aggravated assaults both experienced notable increases last year, going up 15 percent and 5 percent respectively.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,817/100,000 people
Murder Rate: 59/100,000 people
Population: 317,095
Officer to Population Ratio: 1:258
Rank Last Year: #4

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Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here for additional information on Law Street’s crime-ranking methodology.

Source:

FBI: Violent crime, population, murder, and officer statistics, measured January – December 2015.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

Infographic: Visualizing Crime in America 2016

Kevin Rizzo — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 13:00:54 +0000

Image copyright Law Street Media

Law Street’s annual Crime in America Rankings take an in-depth look at crime rates and important crime statistics for major cities across the country. The following infographic gives a visual summary of the report’s highlights and major findings:

Image copyright Law Street Media

Using statistics from the FBI, Law Street ranked cities, states, and metro areas according to their violent crime rates. Topping the list of most dangerous cities with populations over 200,000 is Detroit, Michigan with 1,989 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. The Memphis-TN metro area is the most dangerous metro and Alaska is the most dangerous state based on their violent crime rates per 100,000 people. The city with the lowest crime rate based on Law Street’s criteria is Irvine, California, which continues its streak at the top of the list of safest cities. Maine has the lowest crime rate out of all 50 states.

Dangerous Cities Over 200,000: Detroit, St. Louis See Big Changes

Kevin Rizzo — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 20:40:37 +0000

Image courtesy of [Rick Harris via Flickr]

Half of the cities on Law Street’s list of Most Dangerous Cities over 200,000 experienced an increase in violent crime in the first half of 2015, following the national trend according to FBI statistics released Tuesday. Violent crime was up approximately 1.7 percent across the United States. St. Louis, Missouri experienced the single largest increase in violent crime in 2015 relative to 2014 with an increase of 22.9 percent. Detroit, Michigan experienced the largest decrease, as the city saw its violent crime drop by over 9 percent in 2014. Two of the top 10 Most Dangerous Cities do not have preliminary data available.

The FBI’s semiannual report covers January to June 2015–the most recent period for which comprehensive crime statistics are available. Law Street’s analysis of this preliminary data for each of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities with populations greater than 200,000 people appears below as an update to our most recent Crime In America Rankings published last Fall. Changes in these preliminary statistics, included below, compared with the same time period in the previous year provide key information on emerging trends in these important cities ahead of the full-year coverage of rankings that will be available this Fall.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 SAFEST CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SAFEST AND MOST DANGEROUS STATES.

#1 Detroit, Michigan

In the first six months of 2015, Detroit–the most dangerous city over 200,000–continued its downward trend with a notable decrease in violent crime. In total, Detroit had 581 fewer violent crimes in the first half of 2015 relative to the same period in 2014, a drop of over 9 percent. Violent crime was down in every category in Detroit, but the most significant drop occurred in the city’s robbery statistics, which fell by nearly 30 percent last year. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -9.2 %
(2014: 6,292; 2015: 5,711)
Murder: -20.7%
(2014: 135 ; 2015:107)
Rape: -17.6%
(2014: 284; 2015: 234)
Robbery: -29%
(2014: 1,589; 2015: 1,128)
Aggravated Assault: -1%
(2014: 4,284; 2015: 4,242)

#2 Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis experienced a slight decrease in violent crime in the first six months of 2015, going down 2.1 percent relative to the previous year. Although Memphis experienced a small increase in aggravated assaults, decreases in all three of the other categories contributed to the overall drop. The largest decreases occurred in the city’s reported rape and robbery statistics, which fell by 10.4 percent and 9.9 percent, respectively. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -2.1%
(2014: 5,633; 2015: 5,517)
Murder: -1.5%
(2014: 65; 2015: 64)
Rape: -10.4%
(2014: 269; 2015: 241)
Robbery: -9.9%
(2014: 1,553; 2015: 1,400)
Aggravated Assault: +1.8%
(2014: 3,746; 2015: 3,812)

#3 Oakland, California

Oakland, California is the #3 Most Dangerous City in the country with a population over 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2015 data. According to the FBI, Oakland’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

#4 St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis experienced a notable increase in violent crime in the first six months of 2015, reporting an increase of 22.9 percent. In total, the city had 522 more violent crimes in the first half of 2015 than it did in the first half of 2014. St. Louis saw increases in three of the four categories of violent crime. One of the most noteworthy increases occurred in its murder statistics, which went from 58 in the first half of 2014 to 92 in the first half of 2015, an increase of almost 60 percent. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +22.9%
(2014: 2,284; 2015: 2,806)
Murder: +58.6%
(2014: 58; 2015: 92)
Rape: -11.8%
(2014: 144; 2015: 127)
Robbery: +40.1%
(2014: 594; 2015: 832)
Aggravated Assault: +17.9
(2014: 1,488; 2015: 1,755)

#5 Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama experienced a modest increase in its reported violent crimes in the first half of 2015. In total, the city had 137 more violent crimes from January to June 2015 than it did in the same period of the previous year. Higher numbers of robberies and aggravated assaults largely explain the increase overall, which rose by 11.7 percent and 7.8 percent respectively. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +8.5%
(2014: 1,619; 2015: 1,756)
Murder: +30.4%
(2014: 23; 2015: 30)
Rape: -7.2%
(2014: 83; 2015: 77)
Robbery: +11.7%
(2014: 454; 2015: 507)
Aggravated Assault: +7.8%
(2014: 1,059; 2015: 1,142)

#6 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin experienced a very slight decrease in crime in the first half of 2015, going down about 1 percent relative to the previous year. Although crime was down overall the city did have a notable spike in murders, which went from 36 in the first half of 2014 to 75 in the first half of 2015, an increase of 108 percent. Aside from murders, the other categories of violent crime either remained constant or decreased. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -0.9%
(2014: 3,957; 2015: 3,921)
Murder: 108.3%
(2014: 36; 2015: 75)
Rape: -12.5%
(2014: 192; 2015: 168)
Robbery: -3.2%
(2014: 1,551; 2015: 1,501)
Aggravated Assault: 0%
(2014: 2,178; 2015: 2,177)

#7 Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland experienced a 6 percent increase in violent crime in the first half of 2015, with 235 more crimes than in the previous year. Much of that increase can be attributed to the city’s higher number of robberies, which went up by 11.3 percent. The city also had a notable increase in murders, going from 99 in 2014 to 144 in 2015, a 45.5 percent increase. Baltimore faced several challenges in terms of policing and crime last year, some of which may not be accounted for in these statistics because they only include data from the first half of the year. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +5.9%
(2014: 3,989; 2015: 4,224)
Murder: +45.5
(2014: 99; 2015: 144)
Rape: N/A*
(2014 legacy definition: 129 ; 2015 revised definition: 140)
Robbery: +11.3%
(2014: 1,641; 2015: 1,826)
Aggravated Assault: -0.3%
(2014: 2,120; 2015: 2,114)

*Baltimore, Maryland began reporting its rape statistics using the FBI’s revised definition of rape in 2015. As a result, its statistics are not comparable to the previous year. For more information click here.

#8 Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland experienced a modest decrease in violent crime in the first half of last year, going down 4.4 percent. Much of the city’s overall drop can be attributed to a decrease in the number of reported robberies, which fell by nearly 9 percent. While the city did have an overall drop, it reported an increase in aggravated assaults and murders in the first half of the year. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -4.4%
(2014: 2,499; 2015: 2,390)
Murder: +42.3%
(2014: 26; 2015: 37)
Rape: -19.2%
(2014: 266; 2015: 215)
Robbery: -8.7%
(2014: 1,408; 2015: 1,286)
Aggravated Assault: +6.6%
(2014: 799; 2015: 852)

#9 Stockton, California

Stockton, California followed the national trend with a modest increase in its violent crime statistics from January to June last year. In total, Stockton’s violent crime went up by 2.4 percent, reporting 47 more violent crimes in the first half of 2015 relative to the previous year. The largest increase came in the city’s robbery statistics, which were up by over 7 percent. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +2.4%
(2014: 1,972; 2015: 2,019)
Murder: -14.3%
(2014: 21; 2015: 18)
Rape: N/A*
(2014 legacy definition: 61; 2015 revised definition: 65)
Robbery: +7.1
(2014: 532; 2015: 570)
Aggravated Assault: +0.6
(2014: 1,358; 2015: 1,366)

*Stockton, California began reporting its rape statistics using the FBI’s revised definition of rape in 2015. As a result, its statistics are not comparable to the previous year. For more information click here.

#10 Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana is the #10 Most Dangerous City in the country with a population over 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2015 data. According to the FBI, Oakland’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information. Data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

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Research and analysis by Law Street Media’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

FBI: Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report

Kevin Rizzo

The post Dangerous Cities Over 200,000: Detroit, St. Louis See Big Changes appeared first on Law Street.

Dangerous Cities Under 200,000: Mixed Bag of Results for Early 2015 Crime

Kevin Rizzo — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 20:40:04 +0000

Image courtesy of [Cliff via Flickr]

According to FBI statistics released on Tuesday, the United States saw violent crime increase nationally by 1.7 percent in the first half of 2015 relative to the previous year. But it was a mixed bag for the most dangerous cities with populations between 100,000 and 200,000. Five of the cities saw increases in violent crime, three saw decreases, and two did not have information available from the FBI. Rockford, Illinois, the number two city on the list, saw the largest increase, as violent crime went up 23.2 percent in the first half of last year.

The FBI’s semiannual report covers January to June 2015–the most recent period for which comprehensive crime statistics are available. Law Street’s analysis of this preliminary data for each of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities with populations under 200,000 appears below as an update to our most recent Crime In America Rankings published last Fall. Changes in these preliminary statistics, included below, compared with the same time period in the previous year provide key information on emerging trends in these important cities ahead of the full-year coverage of rankings that will be available this Fall.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES WITH POPULATIONS Over 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 SAFEST CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SAFEST AND MOST DANGEROUS STATES.

#1 Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas is the #1 Most Dangerous City in the country with a population between 100,000 and 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2015 data. According to the FBI, Little Rock’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

#2 Rockford, Illinois

Rockford saw a sharp increase in violent crime in the first six months of 2015. While there was only a moderate increase in reported rapes and robberies in Rockford, the number of aggravated assaults increased by 28.4 percent. The number of aggravated assaults in Rockford went from 670 in the first half of 2014 to 860 in the same period in 2015. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +23.2%
(2014: 927; 2015: 1,142)
Murder: -10%
(2014: 10; 2015: 9)
Rape: +13%
(2014: 69; 2015: 78)
Robbery: +9.6%
(2014: 178; 2015: 195)
Aggravated Assault: +28.4%
(2014: 670; 2015: 860)

#3 Springfield, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri saw a moderate increase in its violent crime in the first half of 2015. While it seems as though the murder rate experienced a sharp increase based on the percentage change, the increase in raw numbers is relatively low, as the city had two additional murders in 2015. Robbery and aggravated assault increased by 17.1 percent and 15.5 percent respectively, accounting for most of the increase in overall crime. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +12.8%
(2014: 942; 2015: 1,063)
Murder: +40%
(2014: 5; 2015: 7)
Rape: -5.9%
(2014: 136; 2015: 128)
Robbery: +17.1%
(2014: 181; 2015: 212)
Aggravated Assault: +15.5%
(2014: 620; 2015: 716)

#4 Lansing, Michigan

Lansing, Michigan saw a decrease of 12.7 percent in the number of reported violent crimes in the first half of 2015 relative to the same period in the previous year. With the exception of rape, crime rates fell across the board. Due to the relatively low number of reported rapes in Lansing, the 2.6 percent increase is the result of just one additional offense in 2015. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -12.7%
(2014: 537; 2015: 469)
Murder: -20%
(2014: 5; 2015: 4)
Rape: +2.6%
(2014: 38; 2015: 39)
Robbery: -24.8%
(2014: 109; 2015: 82)
Aggravated Assault: -10.6%
(2014: 385; 2015: 344)

#5 Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford saw a slight increase in violent crime in the first half of 2015. Robbery had a moderate increase of 10.5 percent and aggravated assaults were up but by a very small margin. The number of reported rapes fell noticeably by 31.8 percent relative to the previous year. The murder rate was up by 100 percent, going from 7 in the first half of 2014 to 14 in the first half of 2015. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +3.9 %
(2014: 671; 2015: 697)
Murder: +100%
(2014: 7; 2015: 14)
Rape: -31.8%
(2014: 22; 2015: 15)
Robbery: +10.5%
(2014: 229; 2015: 253)
Aggravated Assault: +0.5%
(2014: 413; 2015: 415)

#6 Springfield, Massachusetts

Violent crime increased by 7.7 percent in Springfield, Massachusetts in the first half of 2015. The number of reported rapes and robberies were both down, but aggravated assault saw a notable increase of 16.3 percent. Additionally, more than twice as many people were murdered in the first half of 2015 as 2014, going from 6 to 13. In total, Hartford had 60 more violent crimes from January to June 2015 than in the same period of the previous year. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +7.7%
(2014: 777; 2015: 837)
Murder: +116.7%
(2014: 6; 2015: 13)
Rape: -15.7%
(2014: 51; 2015: 43)
Robbery: -5.4%
(2014: 261; 2015: 247)
Aggravated Assault: +16.3%
(2014: 459; 2015: 534)

#7 Springfield, Illinois

Springfield, Illinois followed the national trend with a slight increase in the number of reported violent crimes from January to June 2015 relative to the same period in the previous year. The total violent crime was up just 1.3 percent. Changes in the robbery and aggravated assault rates were almost negligible, and while the murder rate shows a 100 percent increase, that is a result of two additional murders in the first half of 2015 relative to the same period in 2014. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +1.3%
(2014: 551; 2015: 558)
Murder: +100%
(2014: 2; 2015: 4)
Rape: +11.9%
(2014: 42; 2015: 47)
Robbery: -0.9%
(2014: 111; 2015: 110)
Aggravated Assault: +0.3%
(2014: 396; 2015: 397)

#8 New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut is the #8 Most Dangerous City in the country with a population between 100,000 and 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2015 data. According to the FBI, Oakland’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

#9 Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga, Tennessee had a modest drop in the number of violent crimes in the first half of 2015, going down 7.4 percent relative to the same period in 2014. Particularly notable were the 27.5 percent drop in robbery, and a 30 percent decrease in reported rapes. Aggravated assault, however, had a small increase of 1.8 percent. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -7.4%
(2014: 883; 2015: 818)
Murder: -47.1%
(2014: 17; 2015: 9)
Rape: -30%
(2014: 60; 2015: 42)
Robbery: -27.5%
(2014: 182; 2015: 132)
Aggravated Assault: +1.8%
(2014: 624; 2015: 635)

#10 Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester, Massachusetts saw a slight decrease in violent crime of 5.4 percent in the first half of 2015. While aggravated assault was down by 8.8 percent, robbery was up by 8 percent. The number of reported rapes fell by 42.9 percent, however, given the relatively low number offenses, a drop from seven rapes to four yields a high percentage change. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -5.4%
(2014: 814; 2015: 770)
Murder: +0%
(2014: 4; 2015: 4)
Rape: -42.9%
(2014: 7; 2015: 4)
Robbery: +8.0%
(2014: 175; 2015: 189)
Aggravated Assault: -8.8%
(2014: 628; 2015: 573)

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Research and analysis by Law Street Media’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

FBI: Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report

Kevin Rizzo

The post Dangerous Cities Under 200,000: Mixed Bag of Results for Early 2015 Crime appeared first on Law Street.

Safest Cities: Five of Top 10 See Crime Decrease in First Half of 2015

Kevin Rizzo — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 20:39:46 +0000

Image courtesy of [Orbitgal via Flickr]

Nationally, violent crime increased by approximately 1.7 percent from January to June 2015 relative to the same period in 2014. Four of the safest cities followed the national trend with crime increases and one city did not have preliminary statistics available through the FBI. The 25.2 percent increase in violent crime in Fremont, California was the largest among the top 10 safest cities, as the city saw 29 additional violent crimes in the first half of last year. On the other hand, Plano, Texas experienced the largest decrease among the top 10 safest cities, as violent crime fell by 20.3 percent.

The FBI’s semiannual report covers January to June 2015–the most recent period for which comprehensive crime statistics are available. Law Street’s analysis of this preliminary data for each of the Top 10 Safest Cities with populations greater than 200,000 people appears below as an update to our most recent Crime In America Rankings published last Fall. Changes in these preliminary statistics, included below, compared with the same time period in the previous year provide key information on emerging trends in these important cities ahead of the full-year coverage of rankings that will be available this Fall.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES WITH POPULATIONS Over 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 Most Dangerous Cities with Populations Under 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SAFEST AND MOST DANGEROUS STATES.

#1 Irvine, California

Irvine California, the safest city with a population greater than 200,000, followed the national trend with a slight increase in violent crime in the first half of 2015 relative to the previous year. Although Irvine had an increase of 3.7 percent, the increase in raw numbers appears much smaller–the city only had two more violent crimes in the first half of 2015 than it did in the same period of the previous year. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +3.7%
(2014: 54; 2015: 56)
Murder: +100%
(2014: 0; 2015: 1)
Rape: N/A
(2014 legacy definition: 9; 2015 revised definition: 11*)
Robbery: +17.6%
(2014: 17; 2015: 20)
Aggravated Assault: -14.3%
(2014: 28; 2015: 24)

*At some point during this year, the Irvine, California police department moved from the legacy definition of rape to the FBI’s revised definition. As a result, Irvine’s 2014 rape statistics are not comparable to its 2015 statistics. The FBI changed the definition of rape in 2013 to be more accurate and inclusive. For more information click here.

#2 Gilbert, Arizona

Gilbert, Arizona experienced a notable decrease in its violent crime statistics from January to June 2015. Violent crime in the city fell by 18.6 percent, which was the second largest decrease among all of the top 10 safest cities. The largest decrease occurred in the number of reported robberies, which fell by more than 50 percent. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -18.6%
(2014: 113; 2015: 92)
Murder: +0%
(2014: 0; 2015: 0)
Rape: +44.4%
(2014: 9; 2015: 13)
Robbery: -54.8%
(2014: 31; 2015: 14)
Aggravated Assault: -11%
(2014: 73; 2015: 65)

#3 Fremont, California

Fremont, California experienced a 25 percent increase in violent crime from January to June 2015 relative to the same period in the previous year. In total, the city reported 29 more violent crimes in the first half of 2015 than it did in the first half of 2014. The largest increase occurred in Fremont’s robbery statistics, which went up by over 37 percent, from 51 in 2014 to 70 last year. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +25.2%
(2014: 115; 2015: 144)
Murder: +0%
(2014: 1; 2015: 1)
Rape: N/A*
(2014 legacy definition: 7; 2015 revised definition: 19)
Robbery: +37.3%
(2014: 51; 2015: 70)
Aggravated Assault: -3.6%
(2014: 56; 2015: 54)

*Fremont, California began reporting its rape statistics using the FBI’s revised definition of rape in 2015. As a result, its statistics are not comparable to the previous year. For more information click here.

#4 Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach went against the national trend with a modest decrease in violent crime in the first half of last year. In total, the city reported 22 fewer violent crimes last year than it did in 2014, a drop of 6.7 percent. The biggest change occurred in the number of reported rapes, which fell by 34.5 percent. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -6.7%
(2014: 327; 2015: 305)
Murder: +0%
(2014: 12; 2015: 12)
Rape: -34.5%
(2014: 55; 2015: 36)
Robbery: +4.1%
(2014: 123; 2015: 128)
Aggravated Assault: -5.8%
(2014: 137; 2015: 129)

#5 Santa Clarita, California

Santa Clarita, California is the #5 Safest City in the country with a population greater than 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2015 data. According to the FBI, Santa Clarita data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

#6 Henderson, Nevada

Henderson, Nevada experienced a modest increase in violent crime in the first half of 2015. In total, Henderson reported 31 more violent crimes in the first half of 2015 relative to the first half of 2014, an increase of 15.7 percent. Much of that increase was the result of higher numbers of reported rapes and robberies, which increased by 54.5 percent and 20.3 percent, respectively. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +15.7%
(2014: 198; 2015: 229)
Murder: +0%
(2014: 1; 2015: 1)
Rape: +54.5%
(2014: 33; 2015: 51)
Robbery: +20.3%
(2014: 69; 2015: 83)
Aggravated Assault: -1.1%
(2014: 95; 2015: 94)

#7 Plano, Texas

Plano, Texas experienced a modest decrease in violent crime in the first half of 2015, going down 10.4 percent relative to the first half of the previous year. The largest decrease came in the number of robberies, which fell by more than 20 percent. Plano’s violent crime decreased in every category with the exception of murder which had a slight increase. Although the percentage of murders increased significantly, that change was the result of one additional murder relative to the previous year. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -10.4%
(2014: 249; 2015: 223)
Murder: +50%
(2014: 2; 2015: 3)
Rape: -2.1%
(2014: 47; 2015: 46)
Robbery: -21%
(2014: 81; 2015: 64)
Aggravated Assault: -7.6%
(2014: 119; 2015: 110)

#8 Chandler, Arizona

Chandler, Arizona also went against the national trend in the first half of 2015 with a decrease in violent crime of nearly 10 percent. In total, Chandler had 22 fewer crimes from January to June 2015 than it did in the same period of the previous year. Much of that decrease is the result of a 12.8 percent drop in the number of aggravated assaults. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -9.6%
(2014: 228; 2015: 206)
Murder: Went from 1 to 0
(2014: 1; 2015: 0)
Rape: +8.3%
(2014: 24; 2015: 26)
Robbery: -7.3%
(2014: 55; 2015: 51)
Aggravated Assault: -12.8%
(2014: 148; 2015: 129)

#9 Irving, Texas

Irving, Texas reported the largest decrease in violent crime in the first half of 2015, as the number of crimes dropped by 20.3 percent. That decrease is a result of a significant drop in the number of aggravated assaults, which went from 169 in the first half of 2014 to 112 in 2015, a drop of 33.7 percent. Although the percentage of murders reported in Irving increased greatly, that was the result of four additional murders in 2015. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: -20.3%
(2014: 271; 2015: 216)
Murder: +200%
(2014: 2; 2015: 6)
Rape: N/A*
(2014 legacy definition: 19; 2015 revised definition: 15)
Robbery: +2.5%
(2014: 81; 2015: 83)
Aggravated Assault: -33.7%
(2014: 169; 2015: 112)

*Irving, Texas began reporting its rape statistics using the FBI’s revised definition of rape in 2015. As a result, its statistics are not comparable to the previous year. For more information click here.

#10 Chula Vista, California

Chula Vista, California experienced an 8.9 percent increase in violent crime from January to June 2015 relative to the same period in the previous year. This increase is largely a result of a higher number of robberies, going up 13.1 percent relative to the previous year. The overall increase may also be a result of the Chula Vista police department’s change in its definition of rape. In 2015, the city began submitting rape statistics according to the FBI’s revised definition, which was changed in 2013 to be more inclusive and accurate. The data below reflects changes from January to June 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

Total Violent Crime: +8.9%
(2014: 292; 2015: 318)
Murder: +33.3%
(2014: 3; 2015: 2)
Rape: N/A*
(2014 legacy definition: 20; 2015 revised definition: 30)
Robbery: +13.1%
(2014: 107; 2015: 121)
Aggravated Assault: +1.9%
(2014: 162; 2015: 165)

*Chula Vista, California began reporting its rape statistics using the FBI’s revised definition of rape in 2015. As a result, its statistics are not comparable to the previous year. For more information click here.

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Research and analysis by Law Street Media’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

FBI: Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report

Kevin Rizzo

The post Safest Cities: Five of Top 10 See Crime Decrease in First Half of 2015 appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metro Areas

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:37:36 +0000

Image copyright Law Street Media

While crime in the United States continued its downward trend last year, some metropolitan areas experienced relatively high rates of violent crime when compared to the rest of the country. According to the most recent crime data from the FBI, which covers the 2014 calendar year, the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area had the highest violent crime rate in both the south and the entire United States for the second year in a row. The Memphis metro area had approximately 1034 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Of the 15 metro areas with the highest crime rates, nine are located in the Southern region of the United States while none of the top 15 are located in the Northeast.

Check out the slideshow below to see the rankings of the Top 15 Most Dangerous metro areas across the United States. All rates below are calculated per 100,000 people. Ranking metropolitan areas provides additional insight about crime in the United States because the statistics account for crime in a principal city as well as surrounding suburbs, which tend to be both socially and economically integrated.

#1 Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Image courtesy of James Blucher via Flickr

Overall Rank: #1
Rank in South: #1
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 1034
– Murder: 13
– Rape: 51
– Robbery: 270
– Aggravated Assault: 699
Population: 1,348,092

The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area includes Crittenden County, AR; Benton, DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica Counties, MS; and Fayette, Shelby, and Tipton Counties, TN as well as the city of Memphis, TN.

More info on metro areas:

The Office of Management and Budget began delineating Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the 1950s in order to provide an established level of analysis for government reports and statistics. MSAs are characterized as having an urban core with more than 50,000 people and surrounding areas that have close social and economic integration. The FBI does not provide data on all of the 388 MSAs defined by the Office of Management and Budget. Click here to see the FBI’s explanation for why all MSAs are not included. MSAs are organized by counties or their equivalent. All statistics in Law Street’s Crime in America metro rankings are presented as rates per 100,000 people, and they are taken from the FBI’s annual Crime in the United States publication section on metropolitan statistical areas. To see the FBI’s data click here.

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metro Areas appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Midwest Metros

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:36:44 +0000

Image copyright Law Street Media

The Springfield, IL metro area sits atop the list of the most dangerous metro areas in the Midwest for the second year in a row. According to the latest FBI crime statistics, which cover the 2014 calendar year, Springfield, IL had a violent crime rate of 767 per 100,000 people, the fourth highest in the country. The Wausau, WI metro area was the safest metro in the Midwest for a second straight year. In total, Wisconsin had five of the top 10 safest metro areas in the Midwest. In 2014, the Midwest region of the United States held about 21 percent of the country’s population, but just 19 percent of its violent crime.

The rankings below detail the violent crime rate for cities and their surrounding metropolitan area across the Midwest. Check out the rankings below to see the Top 10 Safest and Top 10 Most Dangerous metro areas across the South. All rates below are calculated per 100,000 people. Click here to read more information about Metropolitan Statistical Areas and these rankings.

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the Midwest

#1 Springfield, IL Metro Area

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #4
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 767
– Murder: 9
– Rape: 71
– Robbery: 138
– Aggravated Assault: 549
Population: 211,855

The Springfield, IL metro area includes Menard and Sangamon Counties as well as the city of Springfield.

#2 Rockford, IL

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #19
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 665
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 57
– Robbery: 144
– Aggravated Assault: 458
Population: 343,135

The Rockford, IL metro area includes Boone and Winnebago Counties as well as the city of Rockford.

#3 Saginaw, MI

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #21
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 660
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 82
– Robbery: 84
– Aggravated Assault: 486
Population: 195,891

The Saginaw, MI metro area includes the Saginaw County and the city of Saginaw.

#4 Flint, MI

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #22
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 652
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 70
– Robbery: 117
– Aggravated Assault: 458
Population: 413,337

The Flint, MI metro area includes Geneseee county and the city of Flint.

#5 Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #24
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 646
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 39
– Robbery: 209
– Aggravated Assault: 390
Population: 1,971,378

The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN metro area includes Boone, Brown, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Putnam, and Shelby Counties as well as the city of Indianapolis3, the city of Carmel, and the city of Anderson.

#6 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #25
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 634
– Murder: 6
– Rape: 33
– Robbery: 251
– Aggravated Assault: 343
Population: 1,573,272

The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI metro area includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha Counties as well as, the city of Milwaukee, the city of Waukesha, and the city of West Allis.

#7 Danville, IL

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #30
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 592
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 91
– Robbery: 108
– Aggravated Assault: 392
Population: 79,939

The Danville, IL metro area includes Vermillion County and the city of Danville.

#8 Toledo, OH

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #41
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 559
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 50
– Robbery: 171
– Aggravated Assault: 334
Population: 608,517

The Toledo, OH metro area includes Fulton, Lucas, and Wood Counties as well as the city of Toledo.

#9 Battle Creek, MI

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #44
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 538
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 90
– Robbery: 65
– Aggravated Assault: 380
Population: 134,882

The Battle Creek, MI metro area includes Calhoun County and the city of Battle Creek.

#10 Springfield, MO

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #45
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 536
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 74
– Robbery: 94
– Aggravated Assault: 364
Population: 452,154

The Springfield, MO metro area includes Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster Counties and the city of Springfield.

Top 10 Safest Metros in the Midwest

#1 Wausau, WI

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 90
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 13
– Robbery: 9
– Aggravated Assault: 66
Population: 135,783

The Wausau, WI metro area includes Marathon County and the city of Wausau.

#2 Columbus, IN

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 110
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 17
– Robbery: 30
– Aggravated Assault: 62
Population: 80,345

The Columbus, IN metro area includes Bartholomew County and the city of Columbus.

#3 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 113
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 23
– Robbery: 25
– Aggravated Assault: 65
Population: 135,985

The La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area includes Houston County, MN and La Crosse County, WI as well as the city of La Crosse, WI and the city of Onalaska, WI.

#4 Midland, MI

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 124
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 42
– Robbery: 11
– Aggravated Assault: 70
Population: 84,059

The Midland, MI metro area includes the Midland County and the city of Midland.

#5 Eau Claire, WI

Click to enlarge

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 131
– Murder: 0.6
– Rape: 27
– Robbery: 12
– Aggravated Assault: 92
Population: 165,411

The Eau Claire, WI metro area includes Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties as well as the city of Eau Claire.

#6 Ames, IA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 132
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 41
– Robbery: 17
– Aggravated Assault: 74
Population: 93,130

The Ames, IA metro area includes Story County and the city of Ames.

#7 Appleton, WI

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 137
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 16
– Robbery: 11
– Aggravated Assault: 110
Population: 231,052

The Appleton, WI metro area includes Calumet and Outagamie Counties as well as the city of Appleton.

#8 Rochester, MN

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 141
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 29
– Robbery: 26
– Aggravated Assault: 85
Population: 213,400

The Rochester, MN metro area includes Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted, and Wabasha Counties and the city of Rochester.

#9 Sheboygan, WI

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 163
– Murder: 0.9
– Rape: 24
– Robbery: 18
– Aggravated Assault: 119
Population: 114,823

The Sheboygan, WI metro area includes Sheboygan County and the city of Sheboygan.

#10 Michigan City-La Porte, IN

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 166
– Murder: 5.4
– Rape: 8
– Robbery: 73
– Aggravated Assault: 80
Population: 111,335

The Michigan City- La Porte, IN metro area includes La Porte County as well as Michigan City and the city of La Porte.

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More info on metro areas:

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Midwest Metros appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:36:41 +0000

The Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ metro area is the number one most dangerous metro in the Northeast United States for the second year in a row. According to the latest crime data from the FBI, which covers the 2014 calendar year, the Vineland-Bridgeton metro had a violent crime rate of 511 per 100,000 people. The Bangor, ME metro area also retains its spot atop the top 10 safest northeast metro areas with only 77 violent crimes per 100,000 people. While the Northeast is home to about 18 percent of the U.S. population, it had just 15 percent of the nation’s total violent crime last year.

Check out the rankings below to see the Top 10 Safest and Top 10 Most Dangerous metro areas across the Northeast. All rates below are calculated per 100,000 people. Click here to read more information about Metropolitan Statistical Areas and these rankings.

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast

#1 Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #54
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 511
– Murder: 11
– Rape: 29
– Robbery: 211
– Aggravated Assault: 261
Population: 157,616

The Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ metro area includes Cumberland County as well as the city of Vineland and the city of Bridgeton.

#2 Springfield, MA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #56
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 507
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 51
– Robbery: 136
– Aggravated Assault: 318
Population: 629,676

The Springfield, MA metro area includes Hampden and Hampshire Counties as well as the city of Springfield.

#3 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #75
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 460
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 34
– Robbery: 180
– Aggravated Assault: 239
Population: 6,054,007

The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro includes the Metropolitan Divisions of Camden, NJ; Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA; Philadelphia, PA; and Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ as well as the city of Philadelphia, PA and the City of Wilmington, DE.

#4 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #85
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 436
– Murder: 6
– Rape: 31
– Robbery: 156
– Aggravated Assault: 243
Population: 1,135,581

The Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY metro area includes Erie and Niagara Counties as well as the city of Cheektowaga Town and the city of Niagara Falls.

#5 Barnstable Town, MA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #91
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 426
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 40
– Robbery: 32
– Aggravated Assault: 352
Population: 215,384

The Barnstable Town, MA metro area includes Barnstable County and the city of Barnstable.

#6 Worcester, MA-CT

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #97
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 421
– Murder: 0.9
– Rape: 25
– Robbery: 74
– Aggravated Assault: 321
Population: 856,152

The Worcester, MA-CT metro area includes Windham County, CT and Worcester County MA as well as the city of Worcester, MA.

#7 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #123
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 384
– Murder: 6
– Rape: 20
– Robbery: 177
– Aggravated Assault: 181
Population: 276,587

The Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area includes Atlantic County as well as Atlantic City and the city of Hammonton.

#8 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #133
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 371
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 17
– Robbery: 135
– Aggravated Assault: 216
Population: 20,070,688

Includes the Metropolitan Divisions of Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY; Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY; Newark, NJ-PA; and New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ as well as New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Jersey City, NJ; White Plains, NY; the city of New Brunswick, NJ; and Lakewood Township, NJ.

#9 Trenton, NJ

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #151
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 347
– Murder: 9
– Rape: 11
– Robbery: 150
– Aggravated Assault: 177
Population: 371,608

The Trenton, NJ metro area includes Mercer county and the city of Trenton.

#10 Norwich-New London, CT

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #159
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 340
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 45
– Robbery: 62
– Aggravated Assault: 232
Population: 146,061

The Norwich-New London, CT metro area includes New London County, the city of Norwich and the city of New London.

Top 10 Safest Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast

#1 Bangor, ME

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 77
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 12
– Robbery: 23
– Aggravated Assault: 40
Population: 153,425

The Bangor, ME metro area includes Penobscot County and the city of Bangor.

#2 State College, PA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 82
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 25
– Robbery: 8
– Aggravated Assault: 49
Population: 155,684

The State College, PA metro area includes Centre County and the city of State College.

#3 Gettysburg, PA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 102
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 20
– Robbery: 10
– Aggravated Assault: 73
Population: 101,545

The Gettysburg, PA metro area includes Adams County and the city of Gettysburgh.

#4 Glens Falls, NY

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 111
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 47
– Robbery: 8
– Aggravated Assault: 57
Population: 128,487

The Glens Falls, NY metro area includes Warren and Washington Counties as well as the city of Glens Falls.

#5 Portland-South Portland, ME

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 128
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 26
– Robbery: 27
– Aggravated Assault: 73
Population: 522,033

The Portland-South Portland, ME metro area includes Cumberland, Sagadahoc, and York Counties as well as the city of Portland and the city of South Portland.

#6 Lewiston-Auburn, ME

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 142
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 42
– Robbery: 38
– Aggravated Assault: 60
Population: 107,711

The Lewiston-Auburn, ME metro area includes Androscoggin County as well as the city of Lewiston and the city of Auburn.

#7 Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 149
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 27
– Robbery: 40
– Aggravated Assault: 79
Population: 152,602

The Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA metro area includes Franklin County as well as the city of Chambersburg and the city of Waynesboro.

#8 Lebanon, PA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people: 154
– Violent Crime: 154
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 21
– Robbery: 34
– Aggravated Assault: 94
Population: 135,898

The Lebanon, PA metro area includes Lebanon County and the city of Lebanon.

#9 Lancaster, PA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 165.1
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 38
– Robbery: 51
– Aggravated Assault: 74
Population: 531,837

The Lancaster, PA metro area includes Lancaster County and the city of Lancaster.

#10 Johnstown, PA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 165.3
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 10
– Robbery: 35
– Aggravated Assault: 115
Population: 139,742

The Johnstown, PA metro area includes Cambria County and the city of Johnstown.

—
More info on metro areas:

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the South

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:36:37 +0000

The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area tops the list of the most dangerous metro area in the South for the second year in a row. Memphis is also the most dangerous metro area overall according to its violent crime rate per 100,000 people, which in 2014 was 1,034. In contrast, the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY metro area is the safest metro in the South for a second year with a violent crime rate of just 92 per 100,000 people. In 2014, the South had about 38 percent of the U.S. population, but 42 percent of the nation’s violent crime. All of the data comes from the FBI’s Crime in America publication, which details crime statistics for the 2014 calendar year.

Check out the rankings below to see the Top 10 Safest and Top 10 Most Dangerous metros in the South. All rates below are calculated per 100,000 people. Click here to read more information about Metropolitan Statistical Areas and these rankings.

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the South

#1 Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area

Click to enlarge

Overall Rank: #1
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 1,034
– Murder: 13
– Rape: 51
– Robbery: 270
– Aggravated Assault: 699
Population: 1,348,092

#2 Alexandria, LA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #3
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 812
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 31
– Robbery: 126
– Aggravated Assault: 648
Population: 155,023

The Alexandria, LA metro area includes Grant and Rapides Parishes as well as the city of Alexandria.

#3 Hammond, LA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #5
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 761
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 41
– Robbery: 97
– Aggravated Assault: 615
Population: 126,481

The Hammond, LA metro area includes Tangipahoa Parish and the city of Hammond.

#4 Jackson, TN

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #6
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 756
– Murder: 9
– Rape: 34
– Robbery: 113
– Aggravated Assault: 600
Population: 131,143

The Jackson, TN metro area includes Chester, Crockett, and Madison Counties as well as the city of Jackson.

#5 Lubbock, TX

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #10
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 738
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 52
– Robbery: 113
– Aggravated Assault: 568
Population: 305,514

The Lubbock, TX metro area includes Crosby, Lubbock, and Lynn Counties as well as the city of Lubbock.

#6 Lawton, OK

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #12
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 705
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 62
– Robbery: 150
– Aggravated Assault: 484
Population: 131,086

The Lawton, OK metro area includes Comanche and Cotton Counties as well as the city of Lawton.

#7 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #13
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 696
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 50
– Robbery: 140
– Aggravated Assault: 499
Population: 729,360

The Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area includes Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski, and Saline Counties as well as the city of Little Rock, the city of North Little Rock, and the city of Conway.

#8 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #14
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 685.45
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 63
– Robbery: 154
– Aggravated Assault: 462
Population: 2,319,802

The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area includes Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties as well as the city of Orlando, the city of Kissimmee, and the city of Sanford.

#9 Pine Bluff, AR

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #15
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 685.37
– Murder: 18
– Rape: 63
– Robbery: 150
– Aggravated Assault: 454
Population: 94,694

The Pine Bluff, AR metro area includes Cleveland, Jefferson, and Lincoln Counties as well as the city of Pine Bluff.

#10 Tallahassee, FL

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #16
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 679
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 70
– Robbery: 94
– Aggravated Assault: 510
Population: 377,234

The Tallahassee, FL metro area includes the Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, and Wakulla Counties as well as the city of Tallahassee.

Top 10 Safest Metros in the South

#1 Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 92
– Murder: 0.7
– Rape: 28
– Robbery: 17
– Aggravated Assault: 47
Population: 152,068

The Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY metro area includes Hardin, Larue, and Meade Counties as well as the city of Elizabethtown.

#2 Owensboro, KY

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 128
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 29
– Robbery: 36
– Aggravated Assault: 63
Population: 116,963

The Owensboro, KY metro area includes Daviess, Hancock, and McLean Counties as well as the city of Owensboro.

#3 Harrisonburg, VA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 141
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 32
– Robbery: 13
– Aggravated Assault: 93
Population: 130,160

The Harrisonburg, VA metro area includes Rockingham County and the city of Harrisburg.

#4 Staunton-Waynesboro, VA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 148
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 28
– Robbery: 21
– Aggravated Assault: 93
Population: 119,879

The Staunton-Waynesboro, VA metro area includes Augusta County as well as the city of Staunton and the city of Waynesboro.

#5 Bowling Green, KY

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 157
– Murder: 0.6
– Rape: 38
– Robbery: 44
– Aggravated Assault: 74
Population: 164,892

The Bowling Green, KY metro area includes Allen, Butler, Edmonson, and Warren Counties as well as the city of Bowling Green.

#6 Charlottesville, VA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 162
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 27
– Robbery: 26
– Aggravated Assault: 106
Population: 225,461

The Charlottesville, VA metro area includes Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson Counties as well as the city of Charlottesville.

#7 Decatur, AL

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 167
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 24
– Robbery: 27
– Aggravated Assault: 114
Population: 153,346

The Decatur, AL metro area includes Lawrence and Morgan Counties as well as the city of Decatur.

#8 Winchester, VA-WV

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 176
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 57
– Robbery: 27
– Aggravated Assault: 90
Population: 132,823

The Winchester, VA-WV metro area includes Frederick County and Winchester City, VA and Hampshire County, WV as well as the city of Winchester, VA.

#9 Gainesville, GA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 177
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 16
– Robbery: 38
– Aggravated Assault: 118
Population: 190,345

The Gainesville, GA metro area includes Hall County as well as the city of Gainesville.

#10 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 182
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 26
– Robbery: 8
– Aggravated Assault: 148
Population: 92,202

The Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro area includes Wirt and Wood counties as well as the city of Parkersburg and the city of Vienna.

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More info on metro areas:

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the South appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the West

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:36:31 +0000

The Anchorage, AK metro area is the number one most dangerous metro in the West for the second year in a row as well as the number two most dangerous metro area overall. According to the most recent FBI data, which covers the full 2014 calendar year, Anchorage had 844 violent crimes per 100,000 people, an increase of over 6 percent from the previous year. California had four of the top 10 most dangerous metro areas while Oregon had three of the top 10 safest metros. In total, the West had roughly 23 percent of the U.S. population in 2014 as well as about 23 percent of the total violent crime.

Check out the rankings below to see the Top 10 Safest and Top 10 Most Dangerous metro areas across the West. All rates below are calculated per 100,000 people. Click here to read more information about Metropolitan Statistical Areas and these rankings.

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the West

#1 Anchorage, AK

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #2
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 844
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 127
– Robbery: 159
– Aggravated Assault: 554
Population: 316,696

The Anchorage, AK metro area includes the Anchorage Municipality, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and the city of Anchorage.

#2 Stockton-Lodi, CA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #7
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 750
– Murder: 9
– Rape: 25
– Robbery: 209
– Aggravated Assault: 508
Population: 712,619

The Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area includes San Joaquin County as well as the city of Stockton and the City of Lodi.

#3 Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #8
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 743
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 48
– Robbery: 268
– Aggravated Assault: 420
Population: 2,066,423

The Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV metro area includes Clark County, the city of Las Vegas, and the city of Henderson.

#4 Albuquerque, NM

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #9
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 740
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 54
– Robbery: 171
– Aggravated Assault: 510
Population: 903,982

The Albuquerque, NM metro area includes Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia counties, as well as the city of Albuquerque.

#5 Redding, CA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: # 11
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 707
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 62
– Robbery: 95
– Aggravated Assault: 546
Population: 180,406

The Redding, CA metro area includes Shasta County and the city of Redding.

#6 Fairbanks, AK*

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #23
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 648
– Murder: 12
– Rape: 110
– Robbery: 158
– Aggravated Assault: 369
Population: 34,712

The Fairbanks, AL metro area includes the Fairbanks, North Star Borough and the City of Fairbanks.

*A large portion of the North Star Borough is policed by Alaskan State Troopers, which report their data as one agency. As a result, data is only available for a portion of the Fairbanks metropolitan area.

#7 Madera, CA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #34
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 578
– Murder: 6
– Rape: 25
– Robbery: 65
– Aggravated Assault: 483
Population: 153,544

The Madera, CA metro area includes Madera County and the city of Madera.

#8 Pueblo, CO

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #36
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 575
– Murder: 6
– Rape: 96
– Robbery: 116
– Aggravated Assault: 357
Population: 162,854

The Pueblo, CO metro area includes Pueblo County and the city of Pueblo.

#9 Merced, CA

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #42
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 558
– Murder: 11
– Rape: 16
– Robbery: 91
– Aggravated Assault: 440
Population: 266,350

The Merced, CA metro area includes Merced County and the city of Merced.

#10 Farmington, NM

Click to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #46
Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 535
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 81
– Robbery: 46
– Aggravated Assault: 405
Population: 125,309

The Farmington, NM metro area includes San Juan County and the city of Farmington.

Top 10 Safest Metros in the West

#1 Albany, OR

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Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 98
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 15
– Robbery: 32
– Aggravated Assault: 48
Population: 119,734

The Albany, OR metro area includes Linn County and the city of Albany.

#2 Wenatchee, WA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 117
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 22
– Robbery: 19
– Aggravated Assault: 76
Population: 114,491

The Wenatchee, WA metro area includes Chelan and Douglas Counties as well as the city of Wenatchee.

#3 Corvallis, OR

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Rates/100,000 people: 120
– Violent Crime: 120
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 25
– Robbery: 18
– Aggravated Assault: 77
Population: 87,222

The Corvallis, OR metro area includes Benton County and the city of Corvallis.

#4 St. George, UT

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 135
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 33
– Robbery: 19
– Aggravated Assault: 81
Population: 150,723

The St. George, UT metro area includes Washington County and the city of St. George.

#5 Idaho Falls, ID

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Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 155
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 35
– Robbery: 7
– Aggravated Assault: 114
Population: 138,893

The Idaho Falls, ID metro area includes Bonneville, Butte, and Jefferson Counties as well as the city of Idaho Falls.

#6 Ogden-Clearfield, UT

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 155
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 50
– Robbery: 25
– Aggravated Assault: 78
Population: 629,218

The Ogden-Clearfield, UT metro area includes Box Elder, Davis, Morgan, and Weber Counties as well as the city of Ogden and the city of Clearfield.

#7 Cheyenne, WY

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 160
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 19
– Robbery: 18
– Aggravated Assault: 121
Population: 96,236

The Cheyenne, WY metro area includes Laramie County and the city of Cheyenne.

#8 Bend-Redmond, OR

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 168
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 30
– Robbery: 30
– Aggravated Assault: 109
Population: 168,749

The Bend-Redmond, OR metro area includes Deschutes County, the city of Bend, and the city of Redmond.

#9 Casper, WY

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 184
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 23
– Robbery: 16
– Aggravated Assault: 142
Population: 81,960

The Casper, WY metro area includes Natrona County and the City of Casper.

#10 Lewiston, ID-WA

Click to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people:
– Violent Crime: 188
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 26
– Robbery: 22
– Aggravated Assault: 136
Population: 62,666

The Lewiston, ID-WA metro area includes Nez Perce County, ID and Asotin County, WA as well as the city of Lewiston, ID.

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More info on metro areas:

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the West appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:55:04 +0000

Image courtesy of [Mike Boening via Flickr]

Detroit is the most dangerous city with a population over 200,000 for a third year in a row. Although Detroit remains at the top of the list, its violent crime decreased by about 4 percent. Indianapolis, Indiana also makes its first appearance on the list this year at number 10. All statistics are based on 2014 data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. Check out the slideshow below for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000.

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

#1 Detroit, Michigan

Image courtesy of Mike Boening via Flickr

Detroit, Michigan is the most dangerous city with a population over 200,000 for the third year in a row. Although Detroit remains at the top of the list, it did experience another decrease in crime, with its violent crime rate going down by 4 percent in 2014. The city saw a decrease in three of the four categories of violent crime, with drops in the number of murders, rapes, and robberies. Detroit had 18 fewer murders in 2014 than it did in the previous year, putting its total at the lowest point in 47 years. Over half of the city’s violent crimes were aggravated assaults, which went up by about 4.5 percent from the previous year. Detroit’s downward trending crime is a good sign for the city, which has been plagued with challenges after it declared bankruptcy in the summer of 2013.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,989/100,000 people
Murder Rate: 44/100,000 people
Population: 684,694
Officer to Population Ratio:1:295
Rank Last Year:#1

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Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here for additional information on Law Street’s crime-ranking methodology.

Source:

FBI: Violent crime, population, murder, and officer statistics, measured January – December 2014.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2016: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:54:38 +0000

Image courtesy of [Ani Od Chai via Flickr]

Little Rock, Arkansas, tops the list as the most dangerous city under 200,000 for the second year in a row. The top three is rounded out by Rockford, Illinois and Springfield, Missouri. This list, which includes cities with populations between 100,000 and 200,000, is based on data released Monday by the FBI. Look at the slideshow below to see the full list of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America under 200,000, and click here to see full Crime in America 2016 coverage.

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

#1 Little Rock, Arkansas

Image courtesy of Ani Od Chai via Flickr

Little Rock, Arkansas, remains the most dangerous city between 100,000-200,000 people, with a remarkably high violent crime rate. Little Rock’s violent crime rate stayed relatively the same in 2014, with just a 1 percent drop, after a spike in 2013 put it at the top of the list. However, Little Rock’s murder rate did increase slightly, from 18 per 100,000 people in 2013 to 22 per 100,000 in 2014.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,392/100,000 people
Murder Rate: 22/100,000 people
Population: 198,217
Officer to Population Ratio: 1:356
Rank Last Year: #1

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Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here for additional information on Law Street’s crime-ranking methodology.

Source:

FBI: Violent crime, population, murder, and officer statistics, measured January – December 2014.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2016: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

Campus Crime 2015: Large School Data

Kevin Rizzo — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 15:51:16 +0000

Image courtesy of [Tom Woodward via Flickr]

To see Law Street’s coverage of the Top 10 Highest Reported Crime Rates for Large Colleges click here.

The table below details three-year crime statistics (2011-2013) for all campuses with Fall 2013 enrollment between 20,000 students.

If you are having trouble viewing the table or are on mobile click here. For best results view in landscape.

Research and analysis done by Law Street’s Crime in America team:
Kevin Rizzo, Kwame Apea, Jennie Burger, Alissa Gutierrez, and Maurin Mwombela.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Campus Crime 2015: Large School Data appeared first on Law Street.

Campus Crime 2015: Top 10 Highest Reported Crime Rates for Mid-Sized Colleges

Kevin Rizzo — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 15:02:48 +0000

Image courtesy of [Matthew Rogers via Flickr]

Student safety is a high priority for all colleges and universities. While colleges and universities are typically safer than the areas that surround them, many schools face important and unique challenges. Law Street’s Campus Crime Rankings were created to serve as a comprehensive look at the safety of our college campuses, and to act as a resource for students, families, and college communities.

Federal law requires all postsecondary institutions that receive federal financial aid to report and monitor criminal offenses on their campuses. Each year this self-reported data is published by the Department of Education to help colleges and their communities understand the safety challenges that they face. Law Street Campus Crime Rankings utilize the most recent three years of this data to determine the average violent crime rate per 1,000 students for each school with available statistics.

Our rankings break up schools into different categories to ensure that the comparisons are as helpful and fair as possible. This list ranks mid-sized schools, which include four-year institutions with enrollments between 10,000 to 20,000 students.

Click here to see the data used to create these rankings.

Check out the Top 10 Highest Crime Rates on Mid-Sized Campuses below:

#1 Highest Crime Rate: Howard University

Image courtesy of Ted Eytan via Flickr

Howard University is a private, historically black university located in Washington, D.C. Howard has the highest violent crime rate among medium-sized colleges with an average of 2.88 violent crimes per 1,000 students. Howard reported more robberies than any other medium-sized school with 48 between 2011 and 2013. Howard’s 2012 robbery count was revised last year to include 11 robberies that were recorded by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Two high-profile crimes in the summer of 2013 sparked debate over the safety of Howard students. A Howard senior was shot and killed during a robbery that occurred off campus in July and weeks later a woman was raped in a Howard classroom during the daytime. Even though that murder did not occur on campus and as a result is not included in the Clery Act statistics, the event influenced students’ perceptions of safety on and around campus. In response to these incidents, the Howard and D.C. police departments increased their presence on campus. In recent years Howard has made several attempts to provide new safety services for its students. In 2011, Howard instituted the Guardian system, which allows students to request that the school’s police department monitor them while walking alone. Howard recently started holding mandatory Title IX orientation for freshmen and implemented bystander intervention training to help prevent sexual assault on campus. The Howard University Department of Public Safety consists of both armed Special Police Officers and unarmed Security Officers who are commissioned or licensed by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Fall 2013 Enrollment: 10,297 (6,974 undergraduate)
Average Violent Crime Rate: 2.88 per 1,000
Murder: 0
Forcible Sex Offense: 16
Robbery: 48
Aggravated Assault: 25
Campus Setting: City (Large)

-Campus crime statistics are three year totals from 2011, 2012, and 2013
-The average violent crime rate is an average of the three-year data shown as a rate per 1,000 students

Click here to see the methodology used for the rankings.

Research and analysis done by Law Street’s Crime in America team:
Kevin Rizzo, Kwame Apea, Jennie Burger, Alissa Gutierrez, and Maurin Mwombela.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Campus Crime 2015: Top 10 Highest Reported Crime Rates for Mid-Sized Colleges appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the Midwest

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 14:00:56 +0000

Image courtesy of [OZinOH via Flickr]

The Springfield, Illinois metro area is the number one most dangerous metro in the Midwest. According to the latest crime data from the FBI, which covers calendar year 2013, the Springfield metro had a rate of 768 violent crimes per 100,000 people. On the other end of the spectrum, the Wausau, Wisconsin metro is the safest in the Midwest with 93 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Of all violent crime across the nation 19.4 percent occurred in the Midwest, which is home to 21.4 percent of the nation’s population. The rankings below detail the violent crime rate for cities and their surrounding metropolitan area across the Midwest. Check out the rankings below to see the Top 10 Safest and Top 10 Most Dangerous metro areas across the South. All rates below are calculated per 100,000 people. Click here to read more information about Metropolitan Statistical Areas and these rankings.

TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS METROS IN THE MIDWEST

#1 Springfield, IL Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #7
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 768
– Murder: 17
– Rape: 74
– Robbery: 165
– Aggravated Assault: 512
Population: 212,387

The Springfield, IL metro area includes: Menard and Sangamon counties in Illinois, as well as the city of Springfield.

#2 Saginaw, MI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #8
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 752
– Murder: 19
– Rape: 75
– Robbery: 96
– Aggravated Assault: 562
Population: 198,026

The Saginaw, MI metro area includes: Saginaw County, Michigan as well as the city of Saginaw.

#3 Flint, MI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #10
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 721
– Murder: 14
– Rape: 82
– Robbery: 168
– Aggravated Assault: 458
Population: 416,606

The Flint, MI metro area includes: Genesee County, Michigan as well as the city of Flint.

Flint, Michigan missed this year’s rankings, but was ranked the #1 most dangerous city with a population under 200,000 last year.

#4 Rockford, IL Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #12
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 711
– Murder: 8
– Rape: 58
– Robbery: 133
– Aggravated Assault: 513
Population: 344,806

The Rockford, IL metro area includes: Boone and Winnebago counties in Illinois, as well as the city of Rockford.

Rockford, Illinois is ranked the #2 most dangerous city with a population under 200,00 in 2015.

#5 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #27
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 587
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 34
– Robbery: 235
– Aggravated Assault: 311
Population: 1,571,468

The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI metro area includes: Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties in Wisconsin, as well as the cities of Milwaukee, Waukesha, and West Allis.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is ranked the #7 most dangerous city with a population over 200,000 in 2015.

#6 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #34
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 570
– Murder: 10
– Rape: 50
– Robbery: 164
– Aggravated Assault: 346
Population: 4,296,628

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area includes: the Metropolitan Divisions of Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia and Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills in Michigan, as well as the cities of Detroit, Warren, Dearborn, Livonia, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Taylor, and Novi.

Detroit, Michigan is ranked the #1 most dangerous city with a population over 200,000 in 2015.

#7 Wichita, KS Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #35
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 568
– Murder: 4
– Rape: 52
– Robbery: 78
– Aggravated Assault: 434
Population: 637,215

The Wichita, KS metro area includes: Butler, Harvey, Kingman, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties in Kansas, as well as the city of Wichita.

#8 Springfield, MO Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #46
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 533
– Murder: 3
– Rape: 76
– Robbery: 95
– Aggravated Assault: 359
Population: 448,011

The Springfield, MO metro area includes: Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster counties in Missouri, as well as the city of Springfield.

Springfield, Missouri is ranked the #5 most dangerous city with a population under 200,000 in 2015.

#9 Toledo, OH Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #49
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 530
– Murder: 5
– Rape: 34
– Robbery: 173
– Aggravated Assault: 318
Population: 609,674

The Toledo, OH metro area includes: Fulton, Lucas, and Wood counties in Ohio, as well as the city of Toledo.

#10 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Overall Rank: #66
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 490
– Murder: 7
– Rape: 24
– Robbery: 103
– Aggravated Assault: 357
Population: 97,510

The Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro area includes: Alexander County in Illinois; and Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties in Missouri, as well as the city of Cape Girardeau.

TOP 10 SAFEST METROS IN THE MIDWEST

#1 Wausau, WI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 93
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 13
– Robbery: 13
– Aggravated Assault: 66
Population: 135,041

The Wausau, WI metro area includes: Marathon County, Wisconsin as well as the city of Wausau.

#2 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 123
– Murder: 2
– Rape: 19
– Robbery: 21
– Aggravated Assault: 81
Population: 135,914

The La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area includes: Houston County, Minnesota; and La Crosse County, Wisconsin, as well as the cities of La Crosse and Onalaska.

#3 Appleton, WI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,00 people
– Violent Crime: 124
– Murder: 0.4
– Rape: 17
– Robbery: 8
– Aggravated Assault: 99
Population: 229,465

The Appleton, WI metro area includes: Calumet and Outagamie counties in Wisconsin, as well as the city of Appleton.

#4 Eau Claire, WI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 125
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 21
– Robbery: 14
– Aggravated Assault: 89
Population: 164,463

The Eau Claire, WI metro area includes: Chippewa and Eau Claire counties in Wisconsin, as well as the city of Eau Claire.

#5 Sheboygan, WI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 142
– Murder: 0.9
– Rape: 24
– Robbery: 17
– Aggravated Assault: 101
Population: 114,951

The Sheboygan, WI metro area includes: Sheboygan County, Wisconsin as well as the city of Sheboygan.

#6 Rochester, MN Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 142
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 31
– Robbery: 27
– Aggravated Assault: 85
Population: 211,141

The Rochester, MN metro area includes: Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted, and Wabasha counties in Wisconsin, as well as the city of Rochester.

#7 Ames, IA Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime:152
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 52
– Robbery: 16
– Aggravated Assault: 84
Population: 91,897

The Ames, IA metro area includes: Story County, Iowa as well as the city of Ames.

#8 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 159
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 12
– Robbery: 17
– Aggravated Assault: 130
Population: 169,484

The Oshkosh-Neenah, WI metro area includes: Winnebago County, Wisconsin, as well as the cities of Oshkosh and Neenah.

#9 Dubuque, IA Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 160
– Murder: 0
– Rape: 17
– Robbery: 39
– Aggravated Assault: 104
Population: 95,753

The Dubuque, IA metro area includes: Dubuque County, Iowa as well as the city of Dubuque.

#10 St. Cloud, MN Metro Area

Click image to enlarge.

Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 168
– Murder: 1
– Rape: 47
– Robbery: 26
– Aggravated Assault: 95
Population: 191,531

The St. Cloud, MN metro area includes: Benton and Stearns counties in Minnesota, as well as the city of St. Cloud.

—

Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Alexis Evans, Chelsey Goff, Anneliese Mahoney.

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL CRIME IN AMERICA 2015 COVERAGE, INCLUDING THE SAFEST & MOST DANGEROUS CITIES AND STATES.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the Midwest appeared first on Law Street.

Paterson, NJ and Richmond, CA Report Major Drops in Violent Crime

Chelsey D. Goff — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:20:56 +0000

Image courtesy of [Ani Od Chai via Flickr]

Violent crime among the nation’s mid-sized cities is on a steady decline, according to the most recent data released today by the FBI. Richmond, California and Paterson, New Jersey are standouts in the field, reporting violent crime reductions of 38 percent and 21 percent, respectively for January to June 2014 compared with the same period in 2013. Richmond, the number ten most dangerous city and Paterson, number seven, led Rockford, Illinois (#2) and Springfield, Massachusetts (#6), which also reported modest violent crime declines.

The FBI’s semiannual report covers January to June 2014–the most recent period for which comprehensive crime statistics are available. Law Street’s analysis of this preliminary data for each of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 appears below as an update to our most recent Crime in America Rankings published last Fall. Changes in these preliminary statistics, included below, compared with the same time period in the previous year provide key information on emerging trends in these important cities ahead of the full-year coverage of rankings that will be available this Fall.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 SAFEST CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SAFEST AND MOST DANGEROUS STATES.

#1 Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas is the #1 most dangerous city with a population under 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Little Rock’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

Click here for full coverage of Little Rock’s 2015 ranking.

#2 Rockford, Illinois

Rockford, Illinois is the #2 most dangerous city with a population under 200,000; however, it showed a marked decline in violent crime during the first half of 2014 versus the same time period in 2013. The city of 150,209 people experienced its greatest declines in the violent crime categories of rape (61 incidents between January and June 2014 versus 78 in the same period in 2013) and aggravated assault (648 versus 747 prior year). Total violent crime in Rockford fell nearly 12 percent from 1,009 incidents in the first half of 2013 to 892 for the same period in 2014. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -11.6% (2013: 1,009; 2014: 892)
Murder: +42.9% (2013: 7; 2014: 10)
Rape: -21.8% (2013: 78; 2014: 61)
Robbery: -2.3% (2013: 177; 2014: 173)
Aggravated Assault: -13.3% (2013: 747; 2014: 648)

Click here for full coverage of Rockford’s 2015 ranking.

#3 New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut is the #3 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, New Haven’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

Click here for full coverage of New Haven’s 2015 ranking.

#4 Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut is the #4 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Hartford’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

Click here for full coverage of Hartford’s 2015 ranking.

#5 Springfield, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri is the #5 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000 and it showed very little change in its violent crime during the first half of 2014. Data reported to the FBI for January to June 2014 indicates that total violent crime in Springfield increased modestly by 3.7 percent with 942 violent crime incidents versus 908 during the same period in 2013. The city of 163,062 people experienced its greatest increase in violent crime in the category of aggravated assault, reporting 620 incidents versus 580 in the prior period. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: +3.7% (2013: 908; 2014: 942)
Murder: -16.7% (2013: 6; 2014: 5)
Rape: +2.3% (2013: 133; 2014: 136)
Robbery: -4.2% (2013: 189; 2014: 181)
Aggravated Assault: +6.9% (2013: 580; 2014: 620)

Click here for full coverage of Springfield, Missouri’s 2015 ranking.

#6 Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield, Massachusetts is the #6 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000; however, it reported a slight decrease in violent crime during the first half of 2014. The city of 153,586 people experienced a total violent crime decline of 6.7 percent, with 767 incidents reported during January to June 2014 versus 822 during the same period in 2013. The city’s greatest decrease was in the category of murder (six murders versus 12 during the same period in 2013), and it reported modest declines in both robbery (-7.5 percent) and aggravated assault (-6.2 percent). Reported incidents of rape remained about the same at 45 versus 43 prior year. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -6.7% (2013: 822; 2014: 767)
Murder: -50% (2013: 12; 2014: 6)
Rape: +4.7% (2013: 43; 2014: 45)
Robbery: -7.5% (2013: 281; 2014: 260)
Aggravated Assault: -6.2% (2013: 486; 2014: 456)

Click here for full coverage of Springfield, Massachusetts’ 2015 ranking.

#7 Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson, New Jersey is the #7 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000; however, it reported a large decline in violent crime for the months of January through June 2014 versus the same period in 2013. Total violent crime in Paterson decreased by 21 percent for this period, with 571 incidents reported versus 723 prior year. Most notably, robbery in the city of 145,082 people dropped by over thirty percent (286 incidents versus 414 prior year). Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -21% (2013: 723; 2014: 571)
Murder: +60% (2013: 5; 2014: 8)
Rape*: -18.2% (2013: 11; 2014: 9)
Robbery: -30.9% (2013: 414; 2014: 286)
Aggravated Assault: -8.5% (2013: 293; 2014: 268)

Click here for full coverage of Paterson’s 2015 ranking.

#8 Lansing, Michigan

Lansing, Michigan is the #8 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Lansing’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

Click here for full coverage of Lansing’s 2015 ranking.

#9 Beaumont, Texas

Beaumont, Texas is the #9 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Beaumont’s data was incomplete at the Uniform Crime Report deadline. If the data becomes available through the FBI, we will post an update with that information.

Click here for full coverage of Beaumont’s 2015 ranking.

#10 Richmond, California

Richmond, California is the #10 most dangerous city in the country with a population under 200,000; however, it reported the greatest reduction in violent crime out of all cities in the top ten. Richmond, with a population of 107,341 people, reported a nearly 40 percent drop in total violent crime. Most notably, aggravated assault in the city decreased by more than 50 percent and there were five murders versus 12 during the same period in the prior year. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -38.5% (2013: 660; 2014: 406)
Murder: -58.3% (2013: 12; 2014: 5)
Rape**: Not comparable (2013: 20; 2014: 23)
Robbery: -19.6% (2013: 230; 2014: 185)
Aggravated Assault: -51.5% (2013: 398; 2014: 193)

Click here for full coverage of Richmond’s 2015 ranking.

—

Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Chelsey Goff, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here to see full coverage of Crime in America 2015.

Source: FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January – June 2014.

*The figure shown here for the offense of rape was reported using the legacy UCR definition of rape.

**Richmond, California, made the switch from the legacy definition of this offense, to the current revised definition. Therefore, it is not possible to compare the two years.

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Paterson, NJ and Richmond, CA Report Major Drops in Violent Crime appeared first on Law Street.

Slideshow: America’s Safest and Most Dangerous States 2015

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:00:12 +0000

Image copyright of Law Street Media.

Alaska is the most dangerous state in the nation according to the latest violent crime data from the FBI. With an increase in violent crime rate from 603 per 100,000 people in 2012 to 640 in 2013–the most recent year for which the FBI provides data–Alaska moved into the number one spot, followed by New Mexico (613) and Nevada (603). Law Street’s second annual slideshow of the Safest and Most Dangerous States ranks all 50 states from most dangerous to safest and details the violent crime statistics for every city in the country with a reported population of 25,000 or more. Each state’s qualifying cities are listed from highest to lowest rate of violent crime per 100,000 people, which is comprised of murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

Go directly to your state: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Alaska: #1 Most Dangerous State | 640 Violent Crimes/100,000 People

Courtesy of Travis via Flickr.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Slideshow: America’s Safest and Most Dangerous States 2015 appeared first on Law Street.

Detroit is the Most Dangerous City in America, Irvine the Safest

Anneliese Mahoney — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 21:00:28 +0000

Image courtesy of [Geoff Llerena via Flickr]

For the second year in a row, Detroit, Michigan and Irvine, California are the Most Dangerous and Safest cities in the America, respectively. Law Street’s comprehensive analysis of the FBI’s latest Uniform Crime Report allowed us to rank the safest and the most dangerous big cities in the United States.

Click here to see the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities with populations over 200,000.

Click here to see the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities with populations under 200,000.

Click here to see the Top 10 Safest Cities with populations over 200,000.

Detroit has a violent crime rate of 2,072 per 100,000 people; Irvine has a violent crime rate of 48 per 100,000 people. Looking at those statistics alone begs the question: how could two sizable cities in the same country be so radically different?

At the end of the day it comes down to pretty much one thing: the economy. While there are significantly more factors that need to be taken into consideration when trying to figure out why one city is so crime-ridden and another so relatively safe, a lot of it boils down to the economy.

Detroit currently has an unemployment rate of 14.9 percent; Irvine’s is about 4 percent. Keep in mind that the national unemployment rate has dropped to 5.8 percent, which means that while Irvine is doing pretty well, Detroit is doing very, very poorly. In Detroit, 38.1 percent of the population is below the poverty line, in Irvine it’s just 11.4 percent.

In some ways, it seems that the two cities are from two different times in American history. Detroit was once a booming manufacturing city, home of the auto industry. But the problem is that it was really only the home of the auto industry. And when it first took on that characteristic, the process required way more people to make a car than it does now. There’s also the issue of foreign automakers surpassing American brands, and the 2008 financial collapse. Long, sad story short, Detroit has not been able to subsist on just one industry for a very long time, and it shows.

Compare that to Irvine, which in many ways is the epitome of the way our economy looks now. It’s smack dab in the middle of Southern California’s answer to Silicon Valley, with a heavy concentration on technology and startup culture. Irvine is a city that has taken advantage of the new industries providing jobs in the American market, much like Detroit did, but half a century later.

Detroit’s downfall is more troubling than just the economic woes–when the city started to decline and see mass unemployment, many of those who had the resources to do so got out. Over the last decade, Detroit’s population has fallen by approximately a quarter. It’s turned into a vicious cycle–people who have the resources to leave Detroit do so because of its poor economic condition and crime. Those with financial resources leaving make the city’s economy and budget problems worse, and they can’t pay for the kind of revitalization Detroit would need, or a police force to get the crime under control. So more people leave, and the cycle continues.

Put very simply, Irvine is safer because it has the money coming in to be that way. In addition to its regular police force, the multiple universities located within city limits have their own police forces, leading to even more of a focus on safety. There are a lot of things that separate Detroit and Irvine, and makes one clock in as the most dangerous city in the country and the other the safest. At the end of the day one of the most convincing is the economy.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Detroit is the Most Dangerous City in America, Irvine the Safest appeared first on Law Street.

Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Kevin Rizzo — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 21:00:53 +0000

Image courtesy of [Nicolas Henderson via Flickr]

Little Rock, Arkansas is the #1 Most Dangerous City in the United States with a population under 200,000 according to data released today by the FBI. Overall violent crime in Little Rock increased nearly seven percent over the course of 2013–the latest year for which the FBI has published data. Rockford, Illinois and New Haven, Connecticut switched positions this year to #2 and #3, respectively. Flint, Michigan, last year’s #1 Most Dangerous City, is not ranked this year as its population according to the FBI dropped 59 people below the 100,000-person threshold to rank. Look at the slideshow below to see the full list of Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America under 200,000, and click here to see full Crime in America 2015 coverage.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES UNDER 200,000 IN SINGLE-PAGE FORMAT.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 10 SAFEST CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER 200,000.

[SlideDeck2 id=28347 ress=1 proportional=false]

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Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kevin Rizzo, Chelsey Goff, and Anneliese Mahoney.

Click here for FBI data on each of the cities ranked above. Click here for all Law Street crime data.

Click here for additional information on Law Street’s crime-ranking methodology.

Sources:

FBI: Violent crime, population, murder, and officer statistics, measured January – December 2013.

U.S. Census Bureau: Median household income, measured 2007-2011.

U.S. Census Bureau: Poverty, measured 2008-2012.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

Slideshow: America’s Safest and Most Dangerous States 2014

Kevin Rizzo — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 13:30:31 +0000

For the first time, crime rates of all American cities with a population greater than 25,000 are ranked by state. See the slideshow below for the full ranking of America’s Most Dangerous States, or click the links below to go directly to the data for a specific state.

Jump to the slideshow

Law Street’s state-by-state slideshow of America’s Safest and Most Dangerous States details the violent crime statistics for every city in the United States with a population greater than 25,000 (1,583 cities in all). The data is from the FBI’s most recent Uniform Crime Report: Crime in the United States 2012. Each state’s cities are listed from highest to lowest rate of violent crime per 100,000 people, which is comprised of murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

Although the information is very important by itself, it is important to consider the context. There are several different factors that contribute to a city’s total number of violent crimes, including but not limited to economic conditions, population density, climate, and education levels, as well as a number of issues with the uniform crime report itself. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report remains the most comprehensive and accurate measure of violent crime in the United States. For more information, see Law Street’s Crime in America 2014 coverage.

Average violent crime rates for different sized cities, based on the FBI’s population grouping statistics from the Uniform Crime Report and its corresponding population estimates include: city of 25,000 – 49,999 people = 300; city of 50,000 – 99,999 people = 358.71; city of 100,000 – 249,999 people = 492.22; city of 250,000 or more people = 758.42. The state rankings are based on violent crime data from all cities in the state and are not limited to those with a population of at least 25,000.

AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Click here to read full Crime in America 2014 coverage.

Tennessee: #1 Most Dangerous State | 643.6 Violent Crimes/100,000 People

Courtesy of Brent Moore via Flickr.

Kevin Rizzo

The post Slideshow: America’s Safest and Most Dangerous States 2014 appeared first on Law Street.

Crime Rankings – Law Street

Crime in America 2017

Rankings

Interactive Dashboard

Charts and Data

NOTES

Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

#1 Irvine, California

Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Click here for the Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

#1 Rockford, Illinois

Crime in America 2017: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES UNDER 200,000

CLICK HERE FOR THE TOP 10 SAFEST CITIES OVER 200,000

#1 St. Louis, Missouri

Infographic: Visualizing Crime in America 2016

For an even more in-depth look at Law Street’s crime coverage check out Crime in America 2016.

Dangerous Cities Over 200,000: Detroit, St. Louis See Big Changes

#1 Detroit, Michigan

#2 Memphis, Tennessee

#3 Oakland, California

#4 St. Louis, Missouri

#5 Birmingham, Alabama

#6 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

#7 Baltimore, Maryland

#8 Cleveland, Ohio

#9 Stockton, California

#10 Indianapolis, Indiana

Dangerous Cities Under 200,000: Mixed Bag of Results for Early 2015 Crime

#1 Little Rock, Arkansas

#2 Rockford, Illinois

#3 Springfield, Missouri

#4 Lansing, Michigan

#5 Hartford, Connecticut

#6 Springfield, Massachusetts

#7 Springfield, Illinois

#8 New Haven, Connecticut

#9 Chattanooga, Tennessee

#10 Worcester, Massachusetts

Safest Cities: Five of Top 10 See Crime Decrease in First Half of 2015

#1 Irvine, California

#2 Gilbert, Arizona

#3 Fremont, California

#4 Virginia Beach, Virginia

#5 Santa Clarita, California

#6 Henderson, Nevada

#7 Plano, Texas

#8 Chandler, Arizona

#9 Irving, Texas

#10 Chula Vista, California

Crime in America 2016: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metro Areas

Read More: Crime Rankings for the Midwest, Northeast, South, and West

Read More: Interactive Crime Map of the United States

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Midwest Metros

Read More: Crime Rankings for the Northeast, South, and West

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Read More: Interactive Crime Map of the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the Midwest

Top 10 Safest Metros in the Midwest

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast

Read More: Crime Rankings for the Midwest, South, and West

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Read More: Interactive Crime Map of the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast

Top 10 Safest Most Dangerous Metros in the Northeast

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.

Crime in America 2016: Safest & Most Dangerous Metros in the South

Read More: Crime Rankings for the Midwest, Northeast, and West

Read More: Slideshow: Top 15 Most Dangerous Metros in the United States

Read More: Interactive Crime Map of the United States

Top 10 Most Dangerous Metros in the South

Top 10 Safest Metros in the South

Click here to see full Crime in America 2016 Coverage, including the Safest & Most Dangerous Cities and States.