Murders Up in U.S. Cities
The 30 largest U.S. cities saw a double-digit increase in their murder rate in 2016, according to a new year-end report, even as crime nationwide remains near all-time lows.
A new study released Tuesday by New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice projects that the 2016 murder rate for the largest U.S. cities is up 14% from 2015 while the violent crime rate rose by 3.3%. The overall crime rate, however, increased by just 0.3%, thanks in large part to historically low levels of property crime, according to the study's authors.
Detroit regains its crown as most violent large city in America, overtaking St Louis, according to new FBI data
- Detroit was America’s most violent big city in 2016, according to the latest government data released on Monday
- The Motor City experienced more murders last year than Los Angeles even though the latter’s population is four times that of the former
- Detroit police, however, say that the FBI's data is flawed and that the city actually experienced a decrease in violent crime
- Among the most violent cities, Detroit is followed in order by St. Louis; Memphis; Baltimore; and Wilmington, Delaware
The largest discrepancy involves the reported instances of aggravated assault in Detroit.
The FBI says there were 9,882 such incidents, while Detroit police say the real number is 8,916.
The FBI also says that Detroit witnessed a total of 13,705 violent crimes in 2016. These include murders, rapes, assaults, and robberies.
In 2015, that number was 11,346 reported incidents.
Among US cities with a population of at least 100,000, Detroit is tops on the list of the most violent cities.
It is followed in order by St. Louis; Memphis; Baltimore; and Wilmington, Delaware.
Rounding out the top 10 are Rockford, Illinois; Kansas City, Kansas; Cleveland; Flint, Michigan; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Last year, St. Louis was statistically the most violent city in America, according to the Justice Department.
Violent crime in America rose for the second straight year 2016, driven by a spoke in killings in some major cities, but remained near historically low levels.
The Trump administration immediately seized on the figures as proof that the nation is in the midst of a dangerous crime wave that warrants a return to tougher tactics like more arrests and harsher punishments for drug criminals.
