Article Written By: Blake A
It wasn't that long ago, when the large metropolitan cities were notorious for their high crime rates. People were held-up for their Nike's and comedians joked about the ridiculously amount of violent crimes that were all over the news. Today, even the largest cities, like New York, have the lowest crime rates in history. For people living in apartments and homes, living alone or raising a family, safety is an important concern.Crime statistics are collected from tens of thousands of law enforcement agencies every year. Companies use proprietary computer algorithms to extrapolate crime data to determine the likelihood of a crime happening to one person. The FBI monitors all types of crimes that occur in major cities, everything from murder and rape to burglary and assault. The majority of crime rate data comes from the FBI?s three-year report. Using these numbers, software predicts crime rates for the future and compares local crime rates to the state and nation averages.Of the fifty largest cities in the United States, Fresno, California and Louisville, Kentucky are tied for the safest cities. Minneapolis and St. Paul aren't far behind and Houston rounds out the top five. All fifty major cites are well below the national average, even the notoriously violent Detroit, Michigan is slightly below the national average. In Louisville, the crime rate is dramatically lower than the state average. For residents living Louisville and it's suburbs, there is a 1 in 5,000 of being the victim of a crime every year. Like many large cities, Fresno had a problem with gang-related crimes, since expanding their police force and arresting gang members the crime rate has dropped significantly to the lowest in decades.The Northern cities of Minneapolis and St Paul have surprisingly low crime rates. Based on population and crimes per capita, there is a 1 in 1,400 of being a victim in crime Minneapolis. The twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul topped the Forbes list of safest places to live, including traffic and work related accidents. Minneapolis is also known for its scenic parkways, linking the various lakes on the edge of the city.Houston and the suburb of Sugar Land have low crime rates and are consistently ranked among the best places to live. Although it sounds rather like a candy store, Sugar Land, is named after it?s former use as a sugar plantation. In addition to jobs in the energy and high-technology industries, Houston and the surrounding suburbs offer top-quality schools and lots of opportunities for culture and year-round recreation.According to independent researchers who study crime rate statistics, California holds the record with six cities in the top twenty -five list of safest places to live. New York followed with three upstate cities, Amherst, Greece, and Colonie, on the list. New Jersey was right behind with three cites, Brick Township, Dover, and Edison Township. Florida had two cites make the cut, Coral Springs and Port St. LucieSafe neighborhoods rely of police patrols and homeowners who participate in neighborhood watch programs. In every city, there are safe neighborhoods and unsafe ones too. Always be careful of the surroundings and keep electronics, sporting equipment, and objects of value in a locked trunk or out of view in a closed bag.
This Article Has Been Published on Wed, 26 May 2010 and Read 291 Times