The Blue Board

America’s Least Peaceful States

10. Mississippi
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 262.7 (15th least)
> Murders per 100,000: 7.0 (4th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 686 (2nd most)
> Police per 100,000: 369.3 (11th most)
> Basic access: 77.6 (the lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $4.17 billion

Mississippi has the second-highest rate of prisoners under state jurisdiction in the country, with 686 per 100,000 people, and the fourth-highest murder rate. It also has the worst access to basic necessities, including clean water and access to a doctor. The state has the highest rate of poverty, the highest rate of children living in single parent households, the lowest average life expectancy, and the highest rate of births among teenagers.

9. South Carolina
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 591.6 (5th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 6.1 (7th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 495 (11th most)
> Police per 100,000: 332.4 (24th most)
> Basic access: 80.4 (15th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $8.36 billion

South Carolina has the seventh-highest murder rate in the country, at 7.1 per 100,000, as well as the fifth-most violent crimes per capita, at 591.6. However, the state has only the 24th highest rate of police officers per capita. The Charlotte-Gastonia MSA, which is in is ranked as the sixth-least peaceful metropolitan region in the country, with the highest rate of police per capita in the U.S. The state’s issues with crime may stem from a lack of support for its youth. South Carolina has the among the lowest high school graduation rate in the country, as well as among the highest rates of teen pregnancy and teen deaths.

8. Arkansas
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 500.6 (10th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 4.7 (21st most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 552 (8th most)
> Police per 100,000: 342.0 (22nd most)
> Basic access: 80.2 (12th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $4.99 billion

Arkansas is one of the least peaceful states, as evident by its high incarceration rate of 552 prisoners per 100,000 residents. The state also has several factors correlating with its high crime rate. It has the nation’s highest rate of teenage deaths, with one death for every 1,000 teens, one of the highest rates of births among teenagers. The state also has a poverty rate of 18.4%, the third-highest in the country.

7. Texas
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 445.3 (15th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 5.0 (18th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 648 (4th most)
> Police per 100,000: 359.5 (14th most)
> Basic access: 79.2 (6th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $42.75 billion

For one of the least peaceful states in the U.S., Texas actually has relatively low violent crime and murder rates. However, the state has the fourth-highest incarceration rate, with 648 of every 100,000 residents in state prison. According to the Peace Index, violence costs the state $42 billion each year, more than any state but California. Texas has the lowest high school graduation rate in the country, at just over 80%. The state also has the lowest percentage of residents with health insurance in the U.S. The Peace Index also rated the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown area as the fifth least-peaceful large metropolitan region in the U.S.

6. Missouri
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 448.0 (14th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 7.0 (3rd most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 508 (10th most)
> Police per 100,000: 346.4 (19th most)
> Basic access: 81.9 (20th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $9.48 billion

Missouri’s quest for peace is most severely set off course by the state’s murder rate, which is the country’s third-highest. The state also has a particularly high incarceration rate, with 508 out of every 100,000 residents in state prison. Missouri has one of the highest rates of teenage deaths, as well as one of the lowest life expectancies, at just 77.4 years. Among major metropolitan areas, the Kansas City metropolitan area is also among the least peaceful.

5. Arizona
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 401.7 (18th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 6.4 (6th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 572 (6th most)
> Police per 100,000: 351.0 (16th most)
> Basic access: 80.8 (16th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $10.77 billion

Arizona, is the fifth-most violent state in the country. It has not always been this way. According to the Peace Index, the state dropped nine places from last year’s rank. The cause of this was a substantial increase in the murder rate, which, at 6.4 murders per 100,000 residents, was the sixth-worst in 2010. The state’s incarceration rate is also sixth worst. When it comes to correlating factors, Arizona actually has the ninth-highest life expectancy in the country, at 79.9 years. However, the state also has the 17th-highest teen death rate, at 69 per 100,000.

4. Florida
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 537.2 (9th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 5.2 (17th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 556 (7th most)
> Police per 100,000: 404.7 (7th most)
> Basic access: 79.5 (7th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $34.28 billion

Despite making significant improvements in becoming more peaceful since 1991, Florida is still the fourth-least peaceful state. The state has among the highest incarcerations, violent crimes, and rates of police employees. Florida has a number of other problems that correlate with high crime. More than 21% of residents do not have health insurance, which is the country’s third-highest rate. The state also has the fifth-highest rate of income inequality. It has one of the worst rates of labor force participation, as well as one of the largest rates of children living in single-parent households. Among metropolitan areas, Miami-Miami Beach-Kendal is among the worst for peace.

3. Nevada
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 654.7 (the most)
> Murders per 100,000: 5.9 (8th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 472 (13th most)
> Police per 100,000: 365.6 (13th most)
> Basic access: 78.0 (2nd lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $5.47 billion

Many of the factors that normally correspond with a high rate of violence are not present in Nevada. The state is actually in the top 50% for poverty rate, income equality, and labor force participation. On the other hand, the state has a high teen birth rate and the second-highest percentage of its population without health insurance. Its citizens also have, according to Gallup, the second-worst access to basic necessities in the country. The state has the highest violent crime rate in the country, with 654.7 per every 100,000 residents recorded in 2010.

2. Tennessee
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 607.7 (4th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 5.6 (12th most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 432 (22nd most)
> Police per 100,000: 404.8 (6th most)
> Basic access: 81.0 (17th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $11.67 billion

Tennessee is the second-least peaceful state in the country, and has in fact gotten worse since 1991. Additionally, the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin metropolitan area is among the worst metro areas for peace. The state is one of the most violent, with nearly 608 violent crimes committed per 100,000 residents in 2010. The state also has among the largest relative number of police employees — nearly 405 per 100,000 people. Tennessee also has one of the largest rates of children living in single parent households, one of the highest poverty rates, one of the lowest rates of income inequality and one of the highest rates of births among teenagers.

1. Louisiana
> Violent crimes (excl. murder) per 100,000: 537.8 (8th most)
> Murders per 100,000: 11.2 (the most)
> Incarceration rate per 100,000: 867 (the most)
> Police per 100,000: 542.8 (the most)
> Basic access: 79.2 (5th lowest)
> Total cost of violence: $9.82 billion

Of the five metrics used to generate the Peace Index, Louisiana received the absolute worst score in all but two of them. The state has the eighth-worst violent crime rate and the fourth-worst rate of gun suicides. The state has the highest levels of both police per capita incarceration. The state’s 867 prisoners per 100,000 people is well more than the next-worst state, Mississippi, which has 686 prisoners per 100,000. The state’s murder rate is what truly sets it apart as the least peaceful in the country. Louisiana’s homicide rate in 2010 was 11.2 per 100,000 residents. The next-worst state, Maryland, had 7.4 murders per 100,000 people. Louisiana was also among the worst 10 states for each of the 10 categories shown to have a high level of correlation with violence.

Charles B. Stockdale and Michael B. Sauter

Read more: America’s Most (and Least) Peaceful States - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2012/04/26/americas-most-and-least-peaceful-states/#ixzz2BAzLWrh6

LOL, you can't fool those of us who have actually lived in LA. I'm really not understanding why you're even standing up for Compton? Did they pay you twice the amount of money to live in their city or something? Or is the Mayor a USC grad?

You live in Vegas, and talking about Compton???? Living somewhere, and not having one ounce of understanding of the area your body is present in, does not speak of any authority at all - I believe it's called talking out of your ass - since the university is not fortified, and has consistently ranked as "most selective" in accepting the top students in the country for admission.

There are a lot of prestigious universities surrounded by not-so-nice areas...Yale, and my SIL, a Vanderbilt guy, has something to say about the neighborhoods that surround Vandy.

You can talk and trash all you want, but the surrounding area has not prevented another Kennedy or any other children of privilege mixing with the "neighborhood kids" the university nurtures for full rides to USC.

I would think Alabama also reaches out to the children of the poor...which your state has in abundance, along with the states children of wealth.

I lived and worked in LA for over 2 yrs just 3 yrs ago. I currently live in San Diego and go to LA about once a month for my wife's work. I went to USC for swim meets my entire childhood. I camped at USC for various swimming camps in highschool where we stayed in the dorms. Finally, I was recruited by USC to swim for them and took 2 visits during that process (saved my officials for longer trips). I CHOSE Bama over USC but grew up wanting to go to USC. That's how impressed I was with various southern schools. Are you feeling sufficiently dumb enough yet? Speaking of talking out of your ass... Your lips are starting to turn brown and I suggest giving them a wipe. Additionally, you should try a breath mint because there's a general scent of booty in the air whenever you speak. ::I'm dropping the mike and walking off stage::

On top of all of that, you completely missed the point. I simply don't understand why you don't admit that USC is surrounded by the ghetto? I have a ton of respect for the school (not you, but the school). Why are you defending the location by bringing up other cities that an article states are bad? The correct response by you would be: "ha, yup. It's in the ghetto".