NeighborhoodScout, a web-based platform that, among other things, tracks crime statistics, released its annual list of the Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in the U.S. for 2018. According to a press release, the list is based on a comparison of the safety of cities with 25,000 or more people nationwide, "based on the number of violent crimes (murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault) reported to the FBI to have occurred in each city, and the population of each city, divided by 1,000." The calculation reveals the rate of violent crimes per 1,000 residents.
The most dangerous city in American, according to the report, is Monroe, Louisiana, followed by Bessemer, Ala., and East St. Louis, Illinois. Rounding out the top ten are Camden, N.J., Detroit, Mich., St. Louis, Mo., Wilmington, Del., Alexandria, La., Memphis, Tenn., and W. Memphis, Ark.
NeighborhoodScout's study is based on the FBI's most recent "Final, Non-Preliminary" data. Because there is a lag in FBI reporting, the 2018 list is based on the 2016 data that was released in September 2017. "The 2017 year total crime data is not complete," the report notes. "The FBI is still working through data issues and reporting issues before that data can be considered Final, and Non-Preliminary."
