New York Mayor Bill de Blasio likes to repeat the claim that New York City is the “safest big city” in the United States. It’s a superlative that he frequently touts, but when you take a closer look at the underlying evidence behind this assertion, he may be overstating his case. While New York is the safest among America’s very large cities, that only holds true if you look at a particularly small group of highly populated metropolises.

This particular claim is one that Mayor de Blasio repeated last week in a statement responding to the appeals court ruling on President Trump’s executive order on immigration. Here’s the full statement:

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals just said, ‘No you can’t,’ to the Trump Administration and its un-American travel and refugee bans. Here in New York – the safest big city in America – we will always protect our neighbors, no matter where they came from or when they got here. Those are our values.

And here’s a tweet from last June repeating the same claim:

NYC: Still the safest big city in America. pic.twitter.com/GTktjlcCqL

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 3, 2016

To be fair to de Blasio, there is some subjectivity when it comes to interpreting what he’s saying. Namely, there is no clear, universally accepted definition of what counts as a large city. And assuming he’s talking about population, there is no agreed upon size that makes a city large or small. At Law Street, we set a threshold of at least 200,000 residents to define large cities, but given that de Blasio is mayor of a city with about 8.5 million people, he might only be thinking of a smaller group of very large cities.

So what does the data tell us? When thinking about safety, we typically look to the FBI’s annual crime statistics, which detail the number of violent crimes known to law enforcement in various cities, states, counties, etc. This data, part of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, is particularly useful because it provides the same data for nearly every city in the country. To compare between multiple cities, we take the total number of violent crimes–a category that includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault–and adjust it by population to calculate a violent crime rate per 100,000 people. In 2015, the most recent full year with FBI data, New York City had a crime rate of 586 violent crimes per 100,000 people.

In order to test Mayor de Blasio’s claim, we need to look at New York in the context of other large cities. If we use the 200,000 population threshold, New York does not have the lowest violent crime rate. Only when you raise the threshold significantly–looking only at cities with populations larger 1.5 million people–does New York have the lowest crime rate.

Using the table below, you can switch between different population thresholds to see how New York’s crime rate stacks up against other cities. Each city’s murder rate per 100,000 people is also included for comparison.

As you can see, using such a narrow definition for what qualifies as a large city means including New York and just five other American cities–Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia. In the most narrow sense, the Mayor’s claim is accurate when you limit the scope of comparable cities, but you may also want to compare New York to other cities that may not be quite as big. Ultimately, evaluating this claim comes down to how big a city should be in order for it to be compared to the largest one in the country.

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 Is Bill de Blasio’s Claim that New York is the “Safest Big City” Overstated? appeared first on Law Street.

Find out what’s buzzing on Law Street by catching up on the best stories from last week. Our 2017 rankings for “Crime in America” are out, so check out the top ten safest and most dangerous cities over 200,000. Also, learn more about Instagram’s censoring of legal medical marijuana posts. ICYMI–Check out the top stories below!

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

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. Read the full article here.

2. Instagram is Censoring Accounts With Pictures of Legal Weed

Instagram has been deleting accounts that contain pictures of marijuana, even if the location where the account is based has legalized the drug in some form. Two companies in Canada, where medical marijuana is legal, recently had their accounts shut down by the social media giant after featuring pictures of legal weed. Read the full article here.

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

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. Read the full article here.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

The top three safest cities in the United States remained the same this year, with Irvine, California taking the number one spot, Gilbert, Arizona second on the list, and Fremont, California rounding out the top three. The top 10 also featured two cities that were not included on last year’s list–Irving, Texas and Chula Vista, California, at number #9 and #10, respectively. All statistics are based on 2014 data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. Look at the slideshow below to see the Top 10 Safest Cities over 200,000 people in the United States, 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 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

#1 Irvine, California      

Image courtesy of Infratec via Wikimedia

Irvine, California, has maintained its position as the safest city in America for a third year running. Irvine is located in Orange County, California, south of Los Angeles. In 2014, Irvine experienced only one more violent crime than in 2013, leading to a very minimal three percent increase in its overall violent crime rate. However, Irvine saw no murders in 2014. Remarkably, Irvine’s police force is relatively small, with one officer for every 1,215 people. However, Irvine manages to keep an incredibly low violent crime rate, with almost half the rate of the next city on the list.

Violent Crime Rate: 49/100,000
Murder Rate: 0/100,000
Population: 242,971
Officer to Population Ratio: 1:1215
Rank Last Year: #1

—

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.

*Irvine, California uses the FBI’s legacy definition for reporting rape. For more information, click here.

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 2016: Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

While crime in the United States has been trending down for quite some time, some metropolitan statistical areas continue to experience relatively high rates of violent crime. According to the latest crime data from the FBI, which covers calendar year 2013, the Memphis metro area leads not only the South in violent crime, but also the country as a whole. All of the top five most dangerous metro areas are from the South; none of the top 15 are from 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. Click here to read more information about Metropolitan Statistical Areas and these rankings.

READ MORE: 2015 CRIME RANKINGS FOR THE NORTHEAST, THE MIDWEST, THE WEST, AND THE SOUTH

READ MORE: CRIME MAP OF THE UNITED STATES

Courtesy of James Blucher via Flickr

Click to enlarge

Overall Rank: #1
Rank in South: #1
Rates/100,000 people
– Violent Crime: 993
– Murder: 10
– Rape: 46
– Robbery: 257
– Aggravated Assault: 680
Population: 1,347,803

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

Memphis, Tennessee is ranked the #3 most dangerous city with a population over 200,000.

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 2015: Slideshow of the Top 15 Most Dangerous Metro Areas appeared first on Law Street.

In the latest Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, the FBI reported a nationwide violent crime decrease of 4.6 percent when comparing the first half of 2014 to the first half of 2013. That’s good news, and for the most part, the Top 10 Safest Cities fell in line with the national trend. Fremont, California, the #3 Safest City in the country, saw a notable violent crime drop of nearly 25 percent; however, some top 10 ranking safe cities cannot say the same. Henderson, Nevada, the #5 Safest City in the country, reported nearly 20 percent more violent crimes as compared with the same period prior year.

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 Safest Cities Over 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 MOST DANGEROUS CITIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER 200,000.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SAFEST AND MOST DANGEROUS STATES.

#1 Irvine, California

Overall, the violent crime in Irvine, the safest city in the United States, fell by 16.4 percent. In January to June 2014, murder, rape, and aggravated assault in the city of 235,830 people all fell, although there was a slight uptick in robberies. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -16.4% (2013: 55, 2014: 46)
Murder: -100% (2013: 2; 2014: 0)
Rape: -33.3% (2013: 6; 2014: 4)*
Robbery: +6.3% (2013: 16; 2014: 17)
Aggravated Assault: -19.4% (2013: 31; 2014: 25)

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

#2 Gilbert, Arizona

Gilbert, the second safest city in the United States, saw a slight uptick in crime for this period. The most notable increase for this city of 225,232 was in robbery; over the same months in 2013, Gilbert saw only 23 incidents of the crime; however, in the first six months of 2014, there were 32. Overall, however, Gilbert’s increase in crime was rather small. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: +5.8% (2013: 103; 2014: 109)
Murder: -100% (2013: 1; 2014: 0)
Rape: +33.3%* (2013: 6; 2014: 8)
Robbery: +39.1% (2013: 23; 2014: 32)
Aggravated Assault: -5.5% (2013: 73; 2014: 69)

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

#3 Fremont, California

Fremont’s crime dropped across the board, including a large drop in rape and robbery cases, and a smaller decrease in aggravated assault. With a nearly 26 percent drop in violent crime for the #3 Safest City in the country with a population of 224,475, Fremont saw the largest drop in crime among all of the safest cities over 200,000. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -25.8% (2013: 155; 2014: 115)
Murder: +/- 0% (2013: 1; 2014: 1)
Rape: -41.7% (2013: 12; 2014: 7)* 
Robbery: -36.3% (2013: 80; 2014: 51)
Aggravated Assault: -9.7% (2013: 62; 2014: 56)

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

#4 Santa Clarita, California

Santa Clarita saw an increase in violent crime of nearly 13 percent in the first half of 2014; robbery and aggravated assault incidences in particular increased. Rape, however, decreased slightly, and the murder rate remained stagnant at just one case for each period for the city of 204,951 people. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: +12.6% (2013: 135; 2014: 152)
Murder: +/- 0% (2013: 1; 2014: 1)
Rape: -18.2% (2013: 11; 2014: 9)*
Robbery: +25.7% (2013: 35; 2014: 44)
Aggravated Assault: +11.4% (2013: 88; 2014: 98)

Click here for full coverage of Santa Clarita’s 2015 ranking.

#5 Henderson, Nevada

Of all the Top 10 Safest Cities, #5 ranked Henderson experienced the largest increase in crime. This may be partly because Henderson, a city of 268,237 people, changed the way it defines rape in accordance with revised FBI standards. The more expansive definition may be the reason that the overall crime rate increased by so much. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: +18.6 (2013: 167; 2014: 198) 
Murder: -50% (2013: 2; 2014: 1)
Rape: Not comparable (2013: 16; 2014: 33)**
Robbery: -11.5% (2013: 78; 2014: 69)
Aggravated Assault: +33.8% (2013: 71; 2014: 95)

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

#6 Plano, Texas

Plano, Texas is the #6 Safest City in the country with a population over 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Plano’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 Plano’s 2015 ranking.

#7 Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale, Arizona is the #7 Safest City in the country with a population over 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Scottsdale’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 Scottsdale’s 2015 ranking.

#8 Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach, Virginia saw the second highest drop in crime among the Top 10 Safest Cities in America. The rape, robbery, and aggravated assault numbers all dropped by an impressive amount, and while murder increased, it still reflects a very small number overall for the city of 450,687 people. Data below reflects changes for period January to June 2014 versus same period in 2013.

Total Violent Crime: -20.3% (2013: 394; 2014: 314) 
Murder: +20% (2013: 10; 2014: 12)
Rape: -39.8% (2013: 83; 2014: 50) 
Robbery: -22.8% (2013: 158; 2014: 122)
Aggravated Assault: -9.1% (2013: 143; 2014: 130)

Click here for full coverage of Virginia Beach’s 2015 ranking.

#9 Garland, Texas

Garland, Texas is the #9 Safest City in the country with a population over 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Garland’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 Garland’s 2015 ranking.

#10 Chandler, Arizona

Chandler, Arizona is the #10 Safest City in the country with a population over 200,000 people; however, we cannot provide an update on its preliminary 2014 data. According to the FBI, Chandler’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 Chandler’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 data for rape was reported using the FBI’s legacy definition of this offense, not the current revised definition. For further explanation, please click here.

**Henderson, Nevada, 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.

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 Not All of America’s Safest Cities Followed Trend of Declining Crime appeared first on Law Street.

The FBI’s recent crime statistics reveal a notable downward trend in violent crime across the United States. While most cities’s crime rates have followed suit, Stockton, California and Atlanta are two standouts that showed significant drops in violent crime. According to the FBI, Atlanta’s violent crime decreased by more than 11 percent last year, and in Stockton that decrease was nearly 22 percent.

Last year, Stockton and Atlanta had two of the highest violent crime rates per 100,000 people in the country, ranking fifth and ninth on Law Street’s list of Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000. But when the FBI released the most recent data, both cities dropped out of the list of Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities. This begs the question: how did these cities manage to decrease their crime levels well beyond the national average?

Stockton

In 2012, the city of Stockton filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in history, prior to Detroit’s filing in 2013. In the years leading up to its filing, Stockton implemented steep budget cuts to try and get its financial house in order. The police department faced some of the largest cuts, which led to a significant drop in the number of officers on the beat. In 2008, the department budgeted for 441 officers, but by 2012 the total number fell to 331. That year, the violent crime rate reached an 18-year high, with 1,547 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The department’s decreasing budget and growing pension concerns among officers made it difficult both to hire new officers and to retain existing ones.

The chart below shows the change in Stockton’s violent crime rate by category.

The decrease last year brought Stockton’s violent crime rate to the lowest level that the city has seen since 1999. The primary focus of the Stockton Police Department has been to crack down on gangs and illegal guns while helping prevent youth from turning to crime and violence. An important aspect of the police department’s goal is the use of Operation Ceasefire, which reaches out to at-risk youth to prevent gun violence and provide alternatives to joining gangs. Last year Stockton began implementing the “Marshall Plan” for reducing crime, which is a community-wide effort. Eric Jones, Stockton’s Chief of Police, wants the city to prioritize gun violence in order to reduce crime. Jones told KCRA Sacramento, “First and foremost my focus is on guns and gangs, and the Ceasefire model, which is the stop the violence model, I think is extremely important.”

Stockton also reached a significant milestone in its number of police officers last year, as expanding its police force remains a key goal for the city. When the city hired its 346th police officer, the department became eligible for a federal cops grant that will fund the addition of 17 more officers.

Although preliminary statistics indicate that 2014 will have higher crime levels than last year, it will likely remain well below the peak in 2012. As the Stockton police force begins to stabilize after years of budget cuts, things may finally be looking up for the city and its violent crime rate.

Atlanta

The violent crime rate in Atlanta decreased for the second year in a row according to the most recent FBI statistics. A 16.6 percent decrease in the number of aggravated assaults was the largest driver of last year’s improvement. Atlanta’s recent violent crime reductions accompany an 18 percent decline in total crime since 2009, which fits into an even larger trend since the early 90s.

Atlanta’s violent crime rate peaked in 1993, which saw 4,041 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Last year, the city’s violent crime rate was 1,223 crimes per 100,000, reflecting a decline of nearly 70 percent. With the exception of recent increases in 2010 and 2011, violent crime in Atlanta has been trending downward for the last 20 years.

The chart below shows how Atlanta’s violent crime rate decreased over time.

Recent improvements to Atlanta’s police force and crime prevention methods may help continue the city’s downward trend in the future. Last year, the Atlanta police department reached a longstanding milestone of hiring 2,000 police officers. In 1977 Bill Campbell, the mayor at the time, announced the goal of “2,000 by 2000,” and it has since been an objective for all subsequent mayors.

Atlanta’s police department has also been making notable changes in the way it uses technology. From the addition of 1,400 surveillance cameras to the use of new crime statistics software, the police department has been working to improve the way it fights crime. One of the most notable improvements has been the use of“PredPol” software, which predicts areas where crimes are likely to occur next. The police department began testing the new program on two zones last summer, and after the results were deemed successful department-wide implementation began in November 2013. Mayor Kasim Reed praised the new program in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. He noted Atlanta’s recent success in decreasing violent crime and argued, “In the future, police will perfect the use of predictive analytics to thwart crimes before they occur.”

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 Stockton and Atlanta Drop Out of Most Dangerous Cities Top 10 appeared first on Law Street.

From coast to coast, crime was king last week. Law Street released its Crime in America 2015 coverage, which ranked America’s Safest and Most Dangerous Cities. The rankings, based on the FBI’s latest city crime data released on the same day, featured 30 America cities that have varying degrees of success combating violent crime. Violent crime across the country is on the decline, but that isn’t true of each individual city. ICYMI, check out the rankings below to see where you city falls on the spectrum.

#1 Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000

Detroit is the Most Dangerous City in America for the second year in a row, according to data released today by the FBI. Detroit maintains this ranking despite an overall violent crime decrease of 2.5 percent over the course of 2013, the latest year for which the FBI has released crime statistics. Read full article here.

#2 Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000

Irvine, California is the Safest City in the United States for the second year in a row, according to data released today by the FBI. The 235,000-person city experienced a five percent decrease in violent crime throughout 2013–the most recent year for which the FBI has provided data. Read full article here.

#3 Crime in America 2015: Full Coverage

With the vast majority of Americans living in cities and suburbs, safety is a major concern across the country. Each city has a unique set of challenges to address in order to provide security to its residents, and the results vary widely. Law Street Media’s Crime in America 2015  coverage is the first comprehensive look at the FBI’s latest crime statistics for every American city with a population over 100,000 people. Read full article here.

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 ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

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.

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

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 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 appeared first on Law Street.

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

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

In the United States, more than 80 percent of our citizens reside in cities and suburbs, and the safety of each varies greatly across the nation. Law Street Media’s Crime in America feature provides the first comprehensive look at the FBI’s current crime statistics for every American city with a population over 100,000 people. 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.

Top 10 Lists

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

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

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

Rankings & Charts

Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000: By the Numbers

Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000: By the Numbers

Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000: By the Numbers

100 Most Dangerous American Cities Overall: Where Does Your Home Rank?

100 Safest American Cities Overall: Where Does Your Home Rank?

100 Safest American Cities Over 200,000: Where Does Your Home Rank?

Notes

Why We Rank: The Public’s Right to Know

Defining Rape:The FBI Takes Action

What the FBI Says About Its Uniform Crime Reports

Methodology

Complete FBI Data

Uniform Crime Report, 2012

Uniform Crime Report, 2011

Research and analysis by Law Street’s Crime in America Team: Kasandra Cisneros, Valeriya Metla, Asim Mian, and Kevin Rizzo.

Sources: FBI 2012 Uniform Crime Report, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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 Crime in America 2013 appeared first on Law Street.

Following is the full text of the FBI’s disclaimer about the use of its Uniform Crime Reports. The disclaimer appears here in its entirety.

Variables Affecting Crime

Each year when Crime in the United States is published, many entities—news media, tourism agencies, and other groups with an interest in crime in our Nation—use reported figures to compile rankings of cities and counties. These rankings, however, are merely a quick choice made by the data user; they provide no insight into the many variables that mold the crime in a particular town, city, county, state, region, or other jurisdiction. Consequently, these rankings lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting cities and counties, along with their residents.

Consider Other Characteristics of a Jurisdiction

To assess criminality and law enforcement’s response from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, one must consider many variables, some of which, while having significant impact on crime, are not readily measurable or applicable pervasively among all locales. Geographic and demographic factors specific to each jurisdiction must be considered and applied if one is going to make an accurate and complete assessment of crime in that jurisdiction. Several sources of information are available that may assist the responsible researcher in exploring the many variables that affect crime in a particular locale. The U.S. Census Bureau data, for example, can be used to better understand the makeup of a locale’s population. The transience of the population, its racial and ethnic makeup, its composition by age and gender, educational levels, and prevalent family structures are all key factors in assessing and comprehending the crime issue.

Local chambers of commerce, government agencies, planning offices, or similar entities provide information regarding the economic and cultural makeup of cities and counties. Understanding a jurisdiction’s industrial/economic base; its dependence upon neighboring jurisdictions; its transportation system; its economic dependence on nonresidents (such as tourists and convention attendees); its proximity to military installations, correctional facilities, etc., all contribute to accurately gauging and interpreting the crime known to and reported by law enforcement.

The strength (personnel and other resources) and the aggressiveness of a jurisdiction’s law enforcement agency are also key factors in understanding the nature and extent of crime occurring in that area. Although information pertaining to the number of sworn and civilian employees can be found in this publication, it cannot be used alone as an assessment of the emphasis that a community places on enforcing the law. For example, one city may report more crime than a comparable one, not because there is more crime, but rather because its law enforcement agency, through proactive efforts, identifies more offenses. Attitudes of the citizens toward crime and their crime reporting practices, especially concerning minor offenses, also have an impact on the volume of crimes known to police.

Make Valid Assessments of Crime

It is incumbent upon all data users to become as well educated as possible about how to understand and quantify the nature and extent of crime in the United States and in any of the more than 18,000 jurisdictions represented by law enforcement contributors to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the various unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction.

Historically, the causes and origins of crime have been the subjects of investigation by many disciplines. Some factors that are known to affect the volume and type of crime occurring from place to place are:

• Population density and degree of urbanization.
• Variations in composition of the population, particularly youth concentration.
• Stability of the population with respect to residents’ mobility, commuting patterns, and transient factors.
• Modes of transportation and highway system.
• Economic conditions, including median income, poverty level, and job availability.
• Cultural factors and educational, recreational, and religious characteristics.
• Family conditions with respect to divorce and family cohesiveness.
• Climate.
• Effective strength of law enforcement agencies.
• Administrative and investigative emphases of law enforcement.
• Policies of other components of the criminal justice system (i.e., prosecutorial, judicial, correctional, and probational).
• Citizens’ attitudes toward crime.
• Crime reporting practices of the citizenry.

Crime in the United States provides a nationwide view of crime based on statistics contributed by local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies. Population size and student enrollment are the only correlates of crime presented in this publication. Although many of the listed factors equally affect the crime of a particular area, the UCR Program makes no attempt to relate them to the data presented. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, counties, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment. Until data users examine all the variables that affect crime in a town, city, county, state, region, or other jurisdiction, they can make no meaningful comparisons.

Uniform Crime Report Ranking Disclaimer is from the FBI.

Click here to read more Crime in America coverage.

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 What the FBI Says About Its Uniform Crime Reports appeared first on Law Street.