Article by Shreya Samant
The Land of the Blessed, the land of dreams and hopes, the land of golden opportunities is just some attributes that we people have given to a country which holds almost the rest of the world by leash. Yes, this country is none other than the United States of America. Over the history, we have seen how USA has grown bigger, as an economy, as a political power, as a consumer market, as a golden destination for the educated and as the dream land for every tourist.
The United States of America has something to offer to everyone who steps foot on its land. It is an ultra-modern state and is technologically super-advanced. Most of the things that require rigorous hours of manual work in many other countries are done here in a click of a button. Life is easy, sure. But is life safe? In spite of all its technological advancements The United States of America was not even in the list of top 10 safest countries in the world. With a consistent rise in the number of crimes ranging from school shoot-outs to day-light murders, the country is soon becoming unsafe for people. The redress after a crime is fast in the states, but that is hardly any assurance. Some cities are better off than others. The rate of poverty plays a major role in the rate of crimes. 4 out of the top 10 dangerous cities in the US are in the state of Michigan.The following are the top 10 most dangerous cities in the United States of America –
10. Inkster, Michigan
Michigan is stated located in the mid-eastern side of America. It is not technologically very advanced and is full of small hubs and cities. Inkster is a small city in Michigan. It is one of the suburbs of Detroit. It’s population is about 25,000 people and most of the people are African-Americans. The crime rate in this small suburb is extremely high. The exact number of it being 1282 per 100000 residents. According to statistics, Inkster residents have 1 in 55 chance of being a victim to violent crime. Like most of Michigan, this is due to sudden de-industrialization and loss of jobs.
9. Newburgh, New York
Situated in the state of New York, Newburgh is a proper city. It has a population of about 30,000 people. Like Inkster, Michigan, the residents of Newburgh also have 1 in 55 chance of being a victim to violent crime. But what makes this city worse than Inkster the ever-growing rates of property crimes. The city has a lot of valued properties, and a lot of them are being seized illegally by thieves. The chances of a resident of Newburgh being subjected to property crime are 1 to 16. Newburgh is not distraught with financial problems; instead, it is a very well-off area. Hence, the criminals target this area.
8. St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is a very big city in comparison to the previous two cities. It is situated in Missouri which is a mid-eastern state. It has a population of 318069 people. The crime rate in St.Louis increased drastically post the 1960s. The odds of a resident being victimized are a frightening 1 in 10. And the chances of a resident being a subject of violence are 1 in 53. This is again mainly because the lack of employment opportunities. It has a history of racial tension and this history somehow reeks into the present too.
7. Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City which is located on the coast of New Jersey is often referred to as the Las Vegas of east America due to the presence of large numbers of casinos. But very few people know that this city is also known as a tourist death trap. In 2012, two Canadian tourists were killed in broad-daylight. The city bustles with night-life and activity but underneath it, is a poor city which has a very middle-class population. The chances of residents being attacked violently are 1 in 53. Although these numbers are more likely to stand true in the inner parts of the city and not the boardwalk.
6. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is very well known as the most dangerous city to live in the US. But statistic shows that the conditions have improved a bit this year. Detroit has a per capita violent crime rate of 1348 per 100,000 citizens, and an overall crime rate of 8400 per 100,000 residents. The number of car thefts in this city is extremely high. Detroit was once a manufacturing hub for cars. But since other cities and states opened doors for manufacturers at cheaper costs, they left Detroit, leaving behind widespread unemployment and poverty. Its condition is now improving with new employment opportunities for people.
5. Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in Michigan, and it was once a thriving lumber town. It was an extremely important industrial and a manufacturing city almost all throughout the 20th century. But just as other started opening doors for companies, Saginaw saw loss of employment. Things got even worse after the 2007 global crisis,and most people were left without any job, money and some, without even a home. Chances of falling victim to a violent crime are 1 in 43 in Saginaw.
4. West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is one of the largest cities in the state of Arkansas which is located in Central America. The crime rate in only the city of West Memphis is more than the national average. The city has a population of 26,054 and the odds of being a victim to violent crime are 1 in 42. The crimes committed in West Memphis are largely sexual. The number of sex offenders in this state is very high.
3. Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan, was once a booming industrial city. Now, it is only dead city with locked up industries at every corner of the street and lifeless houses. Chances of being a victim of a violent crime in Flint are 1 in 42, while the chances of falling victim to a property crime are 1 in 15. These high rates of crime are mainly due to poverty and unemployment. A survey conducted by documentary maker Michael Moore, who was born and bought up in Flint showed that the city hardly had any good educational institutes and schools. The number of drop-outs every year is extremely high. All this, when clubbed with unemployment and a grim atmosphere, make Flint a dangerous city.
2. Camden, New Jersey
Camden, a small city located in New Jersey was named the poorest city in the US according to the 2011 census. So obviously, the crime rates ought to be high. It has been ranked as the second most dangerous city to live in the US where residents experience a 1 in 36 chance of being victimized by a violent crime. This is mainly gang violence. The numbers of gangs pitted against the city are very high. And in the violence between two rival gangs, many innocent civilians are also killed. The poverty in this city is staggering, and a lot of people are uneducated, making the situation worse for Camden.
1. East St. Louis, Illinois.
East St. Louis is a city in Illinois which is directly across the Mississippi river. It holds the number one position in the city with highest crime rate in the United States of America. It has suffered a lot due to de-industrialization, gang-violence, and loss of jobs. Odds of falling victim to a violent crime in East St. Louis were a frightening 1 in 17. The average of almost every crime- murder, burglary, assault, rape was higher than even the national average in East St. Louis. Almost every resident has a heavy debt and is bound by a lot of financial problems, owing to which, many of them resort to unethical ways of getting money. Due to severe budget cuts, the number of police in the city has been cut down by 33% which hampers the process of catching criminals, making East St. Louis the most dangerous city in the United States of America.
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