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Which State Is The Most Dangerous?

Which State Is The Safest?

2001 Most Dangerous and Safest States

[Methodology] [Press Release] [Safest Order]

[State Rankings for the Six Crimes] [Award Rankings 1994 to 2001]

"1" is Most Dangerous, "50" is Safest

2001 MOST DANGEROUS STATE

ALPHA ORDER

RANK ORDER

2001 RANK

STATE

SUM

2000 RANK

CHANGE

 

2001 RANK

STATE

SUM

2000 RANK

CHANGE

19

Alabama

1.42

21

-2

 

1

New Mexico

48.85

1

0

5

Alaska

30.32

13

-8

 

2

Florida

43.43

2

0

7

Arizona

27.08

7

0

 

3

Nevada

42.42

3

0

25

Arkansas

-16.41

22

3

 

4

Louisiana

36.27

4

0

17

California

7.19

12

5

 

5

Alaska

30.32

13

-8

26

Colorado

-17.38

26

0

 

6

Maryland

30.29

5

1

37

Connecticut

-30.27

34

3

 

7

Arizona

27.08

7

0

10

Delaware

21.08

11

-1

 

8

South Carolina

25.65

6

2

2

Florida

43.43

2

0

 

9

Tennessee

23.25

8

1

13

Georgia

12.22

14

-1

 

10

Delaware

21.08

11

-1

33

Hawaii

-25.77

35

-2

 

11

Illinois

20.1

9

2

42

Idaho

-46.48

40

2

 

12

Michigan

19.68

10

2

11

Illinois

20.1

9

2

 

13

Georgia

12.22

14

-1

24

Indiana

-14.34

25

-1

 

14

North Carolina

11.36

15

-1

43

Iowa

-47.12

42

1

 

15

Texas

10.56

17

-2

23

Kansas

-13.73

27

-4

 

16

Mississippi

7.61

16

0

38

Kentucky

-30.69

39

-1

 

17

California

7.19

12

5

4

Louisiana

36.27

4

0

 

18

Oklahoma

5.47

18

0

48

Maine

-59.76

48

0

 

19

Alabama

1.42

21

-2

6

Maryland

30.29

5

1

 

20

Washington

-0.97

19

1

30

Massachusetts

-20.67

29

1

 

21

Missouri

-2.64

20

1

12

Michigan

19.68

10

2

 

22

New York

-8.86

23

-1

36

Minnesota

-30.11

33

3

 

23

Kansas

-13.73

27

-4

16

Mississippi

7.61

16

0

 

24

Indiana

-14.34

25

-1

21

Missouri

-2.64

20

1

 

25

Arkansas

-16.41

22

3

45

Montana

-49.89

45

0

 

26

Colorado

-17.38

26

0

34

Nebraska

-26.12

37

-3

 

27

Oregon

-17.67

24

3

3

Nevada

42.42

3

0

 

28

Ohio

-18.97

28

0

49

New Hampshire

-65.25

49

0

 

29

Pennsylvania

-19.88

31

-2

31

New Jersey

-21.13

30

1

 

30

Massachusetts

-20.67

29

1

1

New Mexico

48.85

1

0

 

31

New Jersey

-21.13

30

1

22

New York

-8.86

23

-1

 

32

Rhode Island

-22.42

38

-6

14

North Carolina

11.36

15

-1

 

33

Hawaii

-25.77

35

-2

50

North Dakota

-66.79

50

0

 

34

Nebraska

-26.12

37

-3

28

Ohio

-18.97

28

0

 

35

Virginia

-29.75

36

-1

18

Oklahoma

5.47

18

0

 

36

Minnesota

-30.11

33

3

27

Oregon

-17.67

24

3

 

37

Connecticut

-30.27

34

3

29

Pennsylvania

-19.88

31

-2

 

38

Kentucky

-30.69

39

-1

32

Rhode Island

-22.42

38

-6

 

39

Utah

-31.02

32

7

8

South Carolina

25.65

6

2

 

40

West Virginia

-38.58

44

-4

44

South Dakota

-48.3

47

-3

 

41

Wisconsin

-42.6

41

0

9

Tennessee

23.25

8

1

 

42

Idaho

-46.48

40

2

15

Texas

10.56

17

-2

 

43

Iowa

-47.12

42

1

39

Utah

-31.02

32

7

 

44

South Dakota

-48.3

47

-3

47

Vermont

-55.85

46

1

 

45

Montana

-49.89

45

0

35

Virginia

-29.75

36

-1

 

46

Wyoming

-52.3

43

3

20

Washington

-0.97

19

1

 

47

Vermont

-55.85

46

1

40

West Virginia

-38.58

44

-4

 

48

Maine

-59.76

48

0

41

Wisconsin

-42.6

41

0

 

49

New Hampshire

-65.25

49

0

46

Wyoming

-52.3

43

3

 

50

North Dakota

-66.79

50

0

METHODOLOGY: The Most Dangerous State 2001 rankings are determined by a four step process. First, rates for six crime categories — murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft — are plugged into a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given crime category.

Second, the outcome of this equation is then multiplied by a weight assigned to each crime category. For this year’s award, we again gave each crime category equal weight. Thus state comparisons are based purely on crime rates and how these rates stack up to the national average for a given crime category.

Third, the weighted numbers are added together to achieve state’s score ("SUM.") In the fourth and final step, these composite scores are ranked from highest to lowest to determine which states are the most dangerous and safest. Thus the farther below the national average a state’s crime rate is, the lower (and safer) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and more dangerous) a state ranks in the final list.