Community Chat

[Isabelle Ringing]

You might think that going to California, Texas or New York exposes you to a lot of crime. But in fact it was Tennessee that had the nation’s highest violent crime rate last year.

The FBI’s latest statewide statistics offer a snapshot of the underside of the 50 states: where violent crime is most likely to occur. According to the FBI, violent crime includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the states with the highest rates of violent crime in the country.

10. Oklahoma
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 469.3
> Poverty rate: 17.2%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 23.8%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,401.0 (9th highest)

9. Maryland
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 476.8
> Poverty rate: 10.3%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 36.9%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 2,753.5 (25th lowest)

8. Florida
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 487.1
> Poverty rate: 17.1%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 26.8%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,276.7 (15th highest)

7. Louisiana
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 496.9
> Poverty rate: 19.9%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 22%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,540.6 (5th highest)

6. Delaware
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 547.4
> Poverty rate: 12.0%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.5%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,340.9 (13th highest)

5. South Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 558.8
> Poverty rate: 18.3%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.1%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,822.2 (the highest)

4. New Mexico
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 559.1
> Poverty rate: 20.8%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 26.1%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,600.7 (4th highest)

3. Alaska
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 603.2
> Poverty rate: 10.1%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 28.0%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 2,739.4 (24th lowest)

2. Nevada
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 607.6
> Poverty rate: 16.4%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.4%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 2,809.4 (23rd highest)

1. Tennessee
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 643.6
> Poverty rate: 17.9%
> Pct. of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.3%
> Property crimes per 100,000: 3,371.4 (10th highest)

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/10/04/the-most-dangerous-states-in-america/

[Puzzle Piece]

I would have not thought that some of the states mentioned would make the list.

[------]

On 10/8/2013 september said:

On 10/8/2013 Andromeda1 said: I can't believe California is not on the list. It is falling apart . A man followed me about three months ago. I drove around and lost him. However, the police didn't even call me after I had yo file a report online. I suppose the only way to attract their attention is to be dead.

California is a very big state....larger than many European countries. Maybe you feel that the area where you live is dangerous, but please don't paint the whole state with the same brush.

Most parts of California are suburban or rural areas, where we have very low crime rates.

I agree september. Where I live crime is very low and that includes petty theft. In general San Diego is a safe city.

[Cakers1]

On 10/9/2013 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 10/9/2013 chrystaltree said:

I never thought that CA, NY or TX had the highest rates of violence in this country, if I had to guess, I would have thought it would be one of the southern or western states with low education rates and lower than average incomes. But I do think that stats like that are worth less than the paper they are printed on because you make statistics say anything you want them to say and if we don't know the sources used to arrive at the figure, we know nothing.

Texas is one of those states that ranks at the bottom in education, income, access to health care, etc.

Texas education stats are skewered and not the whole picture. On a weighted avg. by population, Texas is actually in the 71 percentile and not down somewhere in the 20 percentiles. Texas graduates more Native Americans and Asians than other states. You also need to understand that 81% of south Texas alone is comprised of Hispanics, many non-English speaking especially along the border.

As far as health care, Texas has the dubious distinction of being one of the fattest states; but then again cities come into play. There is also a higher rate of obesity due to cultural foods and following that diabetes. Smoking is higher as well. Interestingly enough the deaths ranked by drug use are extremely low.

Income is also skewered and not factoring in the differences in population; certainly border towns suffer the most so yes, income is very low. But there are high incomes in many of the larger urban areas; the state is just so huge that you will always get extreme highs and extreme lows with stats, depending upon who is doing them and what they are factoring in.

Texas, btw, also has few hate crimes than other states like NY. FBI stats.

[bathina]

Texas has the lowest graduation rates, highest number of uninsured and highest percentage of illiteracy than the majority of states. They are low on the list of quality of life metrics, despite your attempt to make excuses for their terrible stats, Cakers. Would love to see where you're getting your info about Texas education actually being better than all the other stats indicate.

BTW- Much of the info on quality of life in Texas can be researched through the census.

[Qwackertoo]

I'd guess Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville have a lot to do with that #1 position. And probably in that order.

[Qwackertoo]

On 10/9/2013 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 10/9/2013 chrystaltree said:

I never thought that CA, NY or TX had the highest rates of violence in this country, if I had to guess, I would have thought it would be one of the southern or western states with low education rates and lower than average incomes. But I do think that stats like that are worth less than the paper they are printed on because you make statistics say anything you want them to say and if we don't know the sources used to arrive at the figure, we know nothing.

Texas is one of those states that ranks at the bottom in education, income, access to health care, etc.

Those open and flowing borders do not help their statistics . . . and I left 20 years ago . . . although I return for visits. I have many family members in Texas that are in the education field and they do have some very good schools that rank in the exemplary category.

[Cakers1]

On 1/2/2014 bathina said:

Texas has the lowest graduation rates, highest number of uninsured and highest percentage of illiteracy than the majority of states. They are low on the list of quality of life metrics, despite your attempt to make excuses for their terrible stats, Cakers. Would love to see where you're getting your info about Texas education actually being better than all the other stats indicate.

BTW- Much of the info on quality of life in Texas can be researched through the census.

First, let me clear something up. I'm not making excuses for the state of Texas. When these stats come out the staggering number of undocumented residents adds to the the dismal failure of some, not all schools. Undocumented residents do not find life any easier in Texas (or any other state) because they stay under the radar and are less likely to pursue higher education. This is a fact and very easy to find on any Texas state gov't site. However, bilingual education is offered in many school districts.

I think the state understands its issues more than those who assume it's a cut and dried issue. It isn't.

People look at a statement about any state and do not understand that a "stat" isn't made up of just one component; when you factor in population size, race, (and yes race is important)and other variables you see that the "horrid Texas" mantra just doesn't quite hold up.

Texas is still growing, jobs are being added, and are pretty much tied with California regarding environmental issues. In fact, last I checked Texas has nosed out CA.

While many posters here know that I do indeed live in Texas, no big secret, I was born, raised, educated - 50 years in Massachusetts, so I DO see both sides of the political fence. It doesn't make me an expert and I am quite confident in myself to not have my heels dug in one way or the other.

As I said in another thread, if people could step out of their comfort zones and move just a tad more to the center, we just might solve issues in a more realistic way.

The state of Texas is always fodder for jokes around here, and most of it is very unwarranted. I agree with some of what goes on in this state; I truly disagree with other issues.

If posters were honest enough, they'd see that the reason Texas is always selected for a good bash has everything to do with who comes from this state and it's red colors.

I realize we are speaking about student loans, but let me just add another misconception. You do NOT have the right to just shoot anybody in self defense. You WILL be investigated by the DA and grand jury. You cannot use stand your ground as a defense while committing a crime. If Zimmerman had lived in Texas, the DA would have stepped in immediately and a grand jury convened. No police officer would have let him walk away.

I know this post is long and will be bypassed but let's take another example. The man accused of knocking out the elderly AA man in Texas was charged with a FEDERAL hate crime. The man in NYC was not charged with a FEDERAL hate crime but a state felony. There is a BIG DIFFERENCE.

Personally? I live here and see good and bad, just as I saw it in MA. If I came down here with die-hard misconceptions or a firmly implanted head in the sand, I would never have made it.

As they say - "that dog wouldn't hunt".

[Allegheny]

From watching the local nightly news, I am surprised our state/city isn't on this list. Seems there is a murder, shooting, or assorted crime daily.

[RainCityGirl]

Crime has NOT been skyrocketing in my state. In fact we have been told that crime, including murder, is way down in Washington, even though it seems the news seems to have sufficient crimes to report each night. I tried to find a complete list of rankings so that I could see where my state was, but the article only included the top 10.