Pew Research: US Murder Capitals since 1985

[eric82oslo]

Pew Research Center has released a new report which concludes that only 6 different US cities have hold the title of the Annual US Murder Capital starting with the year 1985. Those cities are, ranked after frequency as "the champion":

New Orleans, Louisiana - 12 years (1993-95, 2000-04, 2007-09 & 2011)
Washington D.C. - 8 years (1988-92, 1996 & 1998-99)
Detroit, Michigan - 4 years (1985-87 & 2006)
Flint, Michigan - 2 years (2010 & 2012)
Birmingham, Alabama - 1 year (2005)
Richmond, Virginia - 1 year (1997)

During the last 6 years, New Orleans and Flint, Michigan have alterated on being crowned the Murder Capital of the US.

The highest murder rates of US cities in 2012 were in the following cities:

1. Flint, Michigan - 62 per 100,000 citizens
2. Detroit, Michigan - 54.6
3. New Orleans, Louisiana - 53.2
4. Jackson, Mississippi - 35.8

Chicago, Illinois came "only" 21st in these statistics of 2012, having about halved (or more) its murder rate since its "heydays". Another city which has lowered its murder rate immensely during the past 15 years or so is Washington D.C..

Source/report: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/07/14/despite-recent-shootings-chicago-nowhere-near-u-s-murder-capital/

[pbrower2a]

I wonder what the low cities are... other than perhaps Hempstead, New York (giant, posh suburb).

Really, urban areas. I would guess San Diego and New York.   

[H. Ross Peron]

It seems even the post-Katrina focus on New Orleans hasn't improved the situation there.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Wow, I was actually unaware how frequently NOLA had been the champion. Bummer.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Congrats to Oakland for not getting mentioned.

[politicus]

Why does Birmingham rank so high?

[memphis]

Congrats to Oakland for not getting mentioned.

It's amazing to me Oakland is as bad as it is. It's 65 and cloudy/foggy most of the year. That's not murdering weather.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Congrats to Oakland for not getting mentioned.

It's amazing to me Oakland is as bad as it is. It's 65 and cloudy/foggy most of the year. That's not murdering weather.

Nearby Richmond, CA also had high murder rates, but since they started paying people to stay out of trouble the murder rate has dropped a lot. Interestingly, they have a Green Party mayor.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/06/richmond-california-murder-rate-gun-death

[dead0man]

Why does Birmingham rank so high?

Same reason all the other top cities are on the list.  Lots of gangs.