We're #1 Again (in another unscientific and meaningless study)

[Gaspar]

http://www.mylife.com/blog/the-10-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/

[guido911]

When I consider the most crime-laden and dangerous cities in America, Tulsa is tops on my list. 

[Red Arrow]

I know I would feel a lot safer in city #176.

Well, maybe not.

[RecycleMichael]

The sex offenders per capita of the California cities were sure high. Damn perverts.

[Ed W]

From the FBI's "Crime in the United States 2012"

"Each year when Crime in the United States is published, many entities—news media, tourism agencies, and other groups with an interest in crime in our nation—use reported figures to compile rankings of cities and counties.  These rankings, however, are merely a quick choice made by the data user; they provide no insight into the many variables that mold the crime in a particular town, city, county, state, region, or other jurisdiction. Consequently, these rankings lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting cities and counties, along with their residents." (emphasis added)

This page cautions that there are many variables that should be considered and that focusing on only a few may offer an incomplete or skewed picture of criminality and public attitudes toward it.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/caution-against-ranking

[BKDotCom]

I know I would feel a lot safer in city #176.

They do have twice the police per capita... so it must be safer

[heironymouspasparagus]

They do have twice the police per capita... so it must be safer

The key is, as has been shown for years - personal ownership of firearms and a culture of people defending themselves instead of being 'victims'.

Haven't looked in detail at that list, but if you take out about a dozen of our largest cities, crime rates by any measure, are vastly decreased - showing just how much "loading" of the averages occurs with really extreme bad numbers.  Places like Washington, Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, Flint, St Louis, Oakland,....

[guido911]

From the FBI's "Crime in the United States 2012"

"Each year when Crime in the United States is published, many entities—news media, tourism agencies, and other groups with an interest in crime in our nation—use reported figures to compile rankings of cities and counties.  These rankings, however, are merely a quick choice made by the data user; they provide no insight into the many variables that mold the crime in a particular town, city, county, state, region, or other jurisdiction. Consequently, these rankings lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting cities and counties, along with their residents." (emphasis added)

This page cautions that there are many variables that should be considered and that focusing on only a few may offer an incomplete or skewed picture of criminality and public attitudes toward it.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/caution-against-ranking

Good find

[TheArtist]

From the FBI's "Crime in the United States 2012"

"Each year when Crime in the United States is published, many entities—news media, tourism agencies, and other groups with an interest in crime in our nation—use reported figures to compile rankings of cities and counties.  These rankings, however, are merely a quick choice made by the data user; they provide no insight into the many variables that mold the crime in a particular town, city, county, state, region, or other jurisdiction. Consequently, these rankings lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting cities and counties, along with their residents." (emphasis added)

This page cautions that there are many variables that should be considered and that focusing on only a few may offer an incomplete or skewed picture of criminality and public attitudes toward it.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/caution-against-ranking

Regardless, we still have some of the highest homicide and suicide rates in the US.

Was interesting when I was in London some of the crew with me were also from Tulsa.  Apparently such a "big city" seemed a scary to them and they mentioned being worried.  My guess was that it was probably safer in London than in Tulsa.  Looked up some stats, and that was true. Don't remember everything off the top of my head but do remember that in order for London to have about the same homicide rates per capita as Tulsa they would have about 1,000 murders per year.  Can you imagine 1,000 murders per year in London, or any city?  But thats essentially the city we have here.


One city I was looking at in the EU for it's population of about 3 million it had around 8-10 homicides per year.  Tulsa per it's population of about 400,000 has around 60-70.  

Another interesting note is our really high suicide rates and some of the socio cultural differences.  For instance, blacks will tend to use guns to kill others, whites will tend to use guns to kill themselves. The number of "self murders" in south Tulsa is higher than the city wide homicide rate.  I wonder why they don't report suicides on the news as urgently as they report other types of murder/homicide? It seems to be just as much a societal problem that needs to be addressed as other types of homicides.

[Conan71]

Regardless, we still have some of the highest homicide and suicide rates in the US.

Was interesting when I was in London some of the crew with me were also from Tulsa.  Apparently such a "big city" seemed a scary to them and they mentioned being worried.  My guess was that it was probably safer in London than in Tulsa.  Looked up some stats, and that was true. Don't remember everything off the top of my head but do remember that in order for London to have about the same homicide rates per capita as Tulsa they would have about 1,000 murders per year.  Can you imagine 1,000 murders per year in London, or any city?  But thats essentially the city we have here.


One city I was looking at in the EU for it's population of about 3 million it had around 8-10 homicides per year.  Tulsa per it's population of about 400,000 has around 60-70.  

Another interesting note is our really high suicide rates and some of the socio cultural differences.  For instance, blacks will tend to use guns to kill others, whites will tend to use guns to kill themselves. The number of "self murders" in south Tulsa is higher than the city wide homicide rate.  I wonder why they don't report suicides on the news as urgently as they report other types of murder/homicide? It seems to be just as much a societal problem that needs to be addressed as other types of homicides.

There is such a stigma attached to mental illness that many people who suffer from depression simply won't get help or tell someone what is going on because they are embarrassed or don't want to be stigmatized.  The most common comment from families and close friends of people who commit suicide?  "I had no idea."

There are many, many resources available to help prevent suicide.  Unfortunately, they are under-utilized by those who need them most.

Many who suffer from depression don't seek professional help, instead, opting to self-medicate which sends them further down the spiral.  The signs are not always visible from the outside so it's really up to the person suffering to seek help, only the person suffering truly understands the depths.  There's plenty of help available, you can't force people to seek it out if they are reluctant to admit there is a problem in the first place.  It doesn't mean being chained to meds and psychologists the rest of one's life either.  Often it's situational problems coupled with a chemical imbalance which can often be improved through changes in eating habits and increased exercise.

Self-disclosure:  Been there, sought help, have an amazing life today that I would have missed out on if I would have continued spiraling downward.  

[DolfanBob]

HA! In your face OKC! your No 2 to us again........OK wait. 

[BKDotCom]

Chicago and the others apparently fudge their numbers

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/May-2014/Chicago-crime-rates/

[TheArtist]

There is such a stigma attached to mental illness that many people who suffer from depression simply won't get help or tell someone what is going on because they are embarrassed or don't want to be stigmatized.  The most common comment from families and close friends of people who commit suicide?  "I had no idea."

There are many, many resources available to help prevent suicide.  Unfortunately, they are under-utilized by those who need them most.

Many who suffer from depression don't seek professional help, instead, opting to self-medicate which sends them further down the spiral.  The signs are not always visible from the outside so it's really up to the person suffering to seek help, only the person suffering truly understands the depths.  There's plenty of help available, you can't force people to seek it out if they are reluctant to admit there is a problem in the first place.  It doesn't mean being chained to meds and psychologists the rest of one's life either.  Often it's situational problems coupled with a chemical imbalance which can often be improved through changes in eating habits and increased exercise.

Self-disclosure:  Been there, sought help, have an amazing life today that I would have missed out on if I would have continued spiraling downward.  

The thought is, why is there so much higher rate of depression and suicide here than elsewhere?  What is the socio/cultural dynamic at play? Why is there even the higher "need" for this help (that someone may not seek)?   There appears to be something unique about the cities here to cause these much higher than average statistics.

[sauerkraut]

Detroit at #14- this study is all hogwash. The correct way to figure crime is based on the number of crimes per 100,000 population.

[sauerkraut]

Indianapolis at #8- Get real you can walk the streets there at night (aside from urban neighborhoods) and feel fairly safe- Omaha at 96 is also nuts, the crime in Omaha has always been low.