Group ranks most dangerous U.S. cities

CNN ^ | Nov 21st, 2005

[laney]

CAMDEN, New Jersey (AP) -- For the second year in a row this destitute city of Camden, New Jersey, has been named the nation's most dangerous, according to a company's annual ranking based on crime statistics.

Last year, the distinction seemed to hurt city boosters' feelings more than it harmed revitalization efforts. This time, city leaders are offended by the ranking, calling it unfair.

"We're doing so many nice things now. It's unfortunate that somebody always wants to bad-mouth Camden," Mayor Gwendolyn Faison said.

The city took the top spot last year from Detroit, which remained No. 2 in the most dangerous city rankings, to be released Monday by Morgan Quitno Press.

The Lawrence, Kansas-based company publishes "City Crime Rankings," an annual reference book.

Listed as the most dangerous cities are: Camden, New Jersey; Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; Flint, Michigan; Richmond, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gary, Indiana; Birmingham, Alabama

[SteveMcKing]

"Blue" is a race, made up of every race.

[farlander]

Hmmm, how about, "cultural mixture", then ? Actually I find that far more appropriate. It's not about race. It's about culture. When you have a culture that equates success with treason and "selling out", it really doesn't matter what color are the adherents of that culture.

[stevem]

"We're doing so many nice things now. It's unfortunate that somebody always wants to bad-mouth Camden," Mayor Gwendolyn Faison said.

I guess this year we have a kinder gentler Camden.

[RetiredArmy]

Can't be blue. GA and Bama are red states.

[RobFromGa]

How does Baghdad compare?

I just heard on the radio the the GA State Patrol expects 13 fatalities on Georgia roads this Thanksgiving weekend over a five day period.

Maybe we should ban driving and pullout of this whole dangerous travel quagmire we've got ourselves into.

[MEG33]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/21/camden.crime.ap/index.html

[dogcaller]

Richmond city is, like most urban areas, a long-time beneficiary of Democrat solutions...unlike the surrounding counties, which tend to vote more conservatively. The city will vote Democrat until the last voter either moves or is murdered. 99% of the violent crime is underclass drug stuff so if you don't deliver pizzas to the projects you don't have much to worry about.

[laney]

Thank you..

[grania]

Ya, Jews aren't exactly known for the car-jackings, murders and rapes that the good folks in Camden and Detroit are known for.

That really isn't what all of the ten safest have in common. They all seem to be pretty wealthy, and not actually cities in terms of having the full spectrum of problems.

The issue, as I look at the list, is more likely to be income levels. All of the poor 10 (except maybe Atlanta) are decaying inner cities with little job opportunity, growth, or promise.

[in hoc signo vinces]

And pull out of Southwest Houston, which averages about 5 fatalities a weak.

[astounded]

NOLA cannot be considered dangerous at this point. The riffraff, gang bangers, and thugs were washed out of the city by Katrina, and most will not be back. The city's complexion was irrevocably altered by Mother Nature.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Happily posting from the 4th safest city, Mission Viejo, bathing in the warm sun filtering down from clear skies with highs nearly ninety. Take that, all you Kali hating Freepers!

[Comstock1]

I don't know about the others, but Round Rock is in Williamson County and it is the "reddest" of red. Twenty miles to the south is the San Francisco of Texas--Austin.

[highlander_UW]

So, is there a correlation between blue areas and crime ridden cities?

[Gay State Conservative]

Ya,Jews aren't exactly known for the car-jackings, murders and rapes that the good folks in Camden and Detroit are known for.

Having grown up on the south side of Newton (the non-working class part),I've always been amazed by how easily a punk from Roxbury could drive down Route 9 and be in a neighborhood of million dollar (plus) homes.

If they ever figure that out,I sincerely doubt that the NPD would be up to the task of stopping them.

[Gay State Conservative]

Happily posting from the 4th safest city,Mission Viejo,bathing in the warm sun filtering down...

I'll take blizzards and hurricanes over earthquakes and mudslides any day!

[Charles Henrickson]

There are various rankings by population group for safest and most dangerous:

Cities 75,000-99,999: Newton, MA, safest; Camden, NJ, most dangerous
Cities 100,000-499,999: Amherst, NY, safest; St. Louis, MO, most dangerous
Cities 500,000 or more: San Jose, CA, safest; Detroit, MI, most dangerous
Metropolitan areas: Logan, UT-ID, safest; Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI M.D., most dangerous
States: North Dakota, safest; Nevada, most dangerous

[loreldan]

Sure, Ga and Al are red states, but Birmingham and Atlanta are solid blue islands in a red sea.

[Charles Henrickson]

17 MOST DANGEROUS STATES:
1. Nevada
2. Louisiana
3. Arizona
4. Maryland
5. South Carolina
6. Florida
7. Tennessee
8. Alaska
9. New Mexico
10. California
11. Texas
12. Michigan
13. Georgia
14. Oklahoma
15. Delaware
16. Illinois
17. Mississippi

17 SAFEST STATES:
1. North Dakota
2. Vermont
3. Maine
4. New Hampshire
5. South Dakota
6. Wyoming
7. West Virginia
8. Iowa
9. Wisconsin
10. Idaho
11. Montana
12. Connecticut
13. Virginia
14. Kentucky
15. Minnesota
16. Nebraska
17. Utah