Crime rates are an important consideration for people choosing where they want to live, work, and raise a family. Neighborhoods with high or even average crime statistics should consider contacting home alarm companies or us today to get a free quote!
Factors that Contribute to Higher Crime Rates
Many factors contribute to higher crime statistics in certain states and cities. For instance, one commonly held theory among criminologists is that states that have consistently warmer temperatures in the US, such as Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Arizona, have higher crime rates. Warm climates provide people with a greater opportunity to commit crime, as the temperatures permit travel even during winter months. Opportunity itself is another major contributor to higher crime stats.
Another major influence on crime rates is doubtless the economy of a city. Cities like Flint, Michigan, which have mountainous rates of unemployment and low income levels, provide seemingly little alternative for some citizens than a life of crime. The stress resulting from failing to find a job or support a family can lead to violent crimes, as well as property crime.
Population density can be another contributing factor for crime. Generally, urban cities, where people are tightly packed together, have higher crime rates than rural areas, where people are less likely to run into each other. Thus, less opportunity for people to commit crime exists in rural areas.
Finally, cities and areas that are less secure and have fewer crime deterrents – threats of punishment to prevent people from committing a crime – may have higher crime statistics as a result. The “broken windows theory” postulates that neighborhoods and cities that are not well maintained perpetuate an atmosphere permissible towards crime. For instance, the classical example states that a building with a broken window is more likely to be vandalized and broken into. Fixing the window would, supposedly, deter further attempts to vandalize the building.
US Crime Statistics
Fortunately for Americans, overall crime rates in the country have declined since the 1990s. The US homicide rate in 2010 was at the same level it was in 1961, less than half the rate of the high in 1991. Still, many cities and states in the US have unacceptably high crime statistics, which are gathered in the annual FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
Top 5 States with the Highest Crime Rates in 2010
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Louisiana
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
Top 5 Safest States in the US in 2010
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- North Dakota
- Maine
- Iowa
Top 5 Cities with the Highest Crime Rates in 2010
- Flint, Michigan
- Detroit, Michigan
- St. Louis, Missouri
- New Haven, Connecticut
- Memphis, Tennessee
Top 5 Safest Cities in the US in 2010
- Plano, Texas
- Henderson, Nevada
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Santa Ana, California
- Lincoln, Nebraska
Crime Statistics News