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    America’s Most Dangerous States, 2016

    24/7 Wall St.•February 2, 2016
    • <p>Violent crimes per 100,000: 446.1. Population: 5,976,407. Total 2014 murders: 365 (14th highest). Poverty rate: 10.1% (2nd lowest). Based on the number of violent incidents documented by the FBI, Maryland is the 10th most violent state in the nation. Each year, approximately 446 violent crimes are reported per 100,000 state residents versus the national violent crime rate of 366 incidents per 100,000 Americans. As in most states, violence varies considerably across Maryland. In the Baltimore area, for example, the violent crime rate of 1,339 incidents per 100,000 metro area residents is one of the highest of any U.S. region and much higher than the statewide rate. Low incomes are closely tied to the prevalence of violent crime, and in Baltimore, incomes are much lower than incomes across the state. Nearly 24% of individuals in Baltimore live in poverty compared to Maryland’s 10.1% poverty rate, which is lower than in every state except for New Hampshire.</p>
    • <p>Violent crimes per 100,000: 480.1. Population: 2,966,369. Total 2014 murders: 165 (25th highest). Poverty rate: 18.9% (6th highest). Little Rock is the largest city in Arkansas and also a significant source of the state’s crime woes. Also the state capital, Little Rock reports the 12th highest murder rate of any large city in the country at roughly 22 murders for every 100,000 residents. Additionally, the rate of aggravated assault reported in the city, at 933 per 100,000 people, is the fifth highest of any large U.S. city. Including all violent crimes, there are approximately 1,392 violent incidents per 100,000 Little Rock residents each year.</p><p>Violent crime is more common among less affluent populations, and incomes in Arkansas are among the lowest in the nation. The typical household in Arkansas earns $41,262 annually, considerably less than the national median household income of $53,657. <a href="http://bit.ly/1SqJ5UN">[ALSO READ: The Safest States in America]</a></p>
    • <p>Violent crimes per 100,000: 489.1. Population: 935,614. Total 2014 murders: 54 (13th lowest). Poverty rate: 12.5% (17th lowest). Delaware has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, with 489 reported incidents per 100,000 residents. In particular, robberies are extremely common in the state, with 136 incidents reported each year per 100,000 people, the third highest rate in the country. The high violent crime rates in most of the states on this list are driven largely by the presence of large, densely-populated cities. In Wilmington, the largest city in the state, the violent crime rate of 1,637 incidents per 100,000 residents is more than three times the corresponding statewide rate, and one of the highest of any large city in the country.</p>
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    10. Maryland

    Violent crimes per 100,000: 446.1. Population: 5,976,407. Total 2014 murders: 365 (14th highest). Poverty rate: 10.1% (2nd lowest). Based on the number of violent incidents documented by the FBI, Maryland is the 10th most violent state in the nation. Each year, approximately 446 violent crimes are reported per 100,000 state residents versus the national violent crime rate of 366 incidents per 100,000 Americans. As in most states, violence varies considerably across Maryland. In the Baltimore area, for example, the violent crime rate of 1,339 incidents per 100,000 metro area residents is one of the highest of any U.S. region and much higher than the statewide rate. Low incomes are closely tied to the prevalence of violent crime, and in Baltimore, incomes are much lower than incomes across the state. Nearly 24% of individuals in Baltimore live in poverty compared to Maryland’s 10.1% poverty rate, which is lower than in every state except for New Hampshire.

    Violent crime has become less common in the United States in recent years. There were slightly more than 1.1 million reported incidents in 2014, or 366 incidences per 100,000 residents, a 9.4% decrease from the 2010 rate of 404 violent crimes for every 100,000 Americans. While the nation is becoming safer, many states have a higher violent crime rate than the national average rate, with the 10 most dangerous states reporting a rate of at least 445 violent crimes per 100,000 people.

    Based on violent crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 10 states with the highest violent crime rates. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Of the 50 states, Alaska is the most dangerous, with 636 reported violent crimes for every 100,000 residents.

    [Also from 247WallSt.com: The Safest States in America]

    In an interview with 24/7 Wall St. in December, John Roman, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, explained that “the number one predictor of crime is dense areas of disconnected young men.” All of the 10 most dangerous states have major cities where the violent crime rate is more than double the national average rate. Of the 99 large cities in the 10 most dangerous states, 10 have violent crime rates over 1,000 incidents per 100,000 people.

    While it is difficult to identify the root causes of violent behavior, violence is often conducted in similar contexts, and areas with especially high violent crime rates frequently share social and economic characteristics. A well-educated population, for example, tends to be more prosperous and less violent. In eight of the 10 most dangerous states, education attainment rates are below the national average.

    “Places with high educational attainment and relatively higher incomes have more opportunities for citizens, so the choice to commit crime becomes less appealing,” Roman said.

    Not surprisingly, higher poverty rates tend to accompany lower educational attainment in America’s most dangerous states. The poverty rate in six of the 10 most violent states exceeds the national poverty rate of 15.5%.

    Aggravated assault is the principal driver of violent crime. These crimes are disproportionately common in America’s most dangerous states. The aggravated assault rate exceeds the national rate of 233 incidents per 100,000 Americans in all of the 10 most dangerous states. Also, in all 10 states, the aggravated assault rate comprises more than half of the overall violent crime rate.

    To identify the most dangerous states in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed violent crime rates from the FBI’s 2014 Uniform Crime Report. Property crime rates also came from the FBI’s report. The data are broken into eight types of crime. Violent crime includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crime includes burglary, arson, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. In addition to crime data, we also reviewed median household income, poverty rates, and educational attainment rates from the 2014 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Crime and socioeconomic data for cities with populations of at least 50,000 people also came from the FBI and ACS.

    Also on 247WallSt.com:

    • The Safest States in America
    • States With the Best (and Worst) Schools
    • America’s Most Hated Companies]