Redrum, redrum, redrum from The Shining still gives me chills. The original location for Overlook Hotel was located in Oregon, which has the 11th lowest murder rate in the US. Stephen King tends to like serene settings for his reins of horror. Oh, murder, murder, murder.
In reality, Louisiana is the place with the highest murder rate in the US (even before Katrina), and not just by a point or two, but almost 3 points (or people) above number second at 13 out 100,000 people in 2003. Some experts attribute the violence to the state's high poverty rates, especially among children. And with the most homicides perpetrated against youth between the ages of 16 to 24 years old, then young adults in Louisiana need to watch their backs. Maybe now after Katrina's revelation of the festering poverty, the murder rate will decrease. Of course, half of New Orleans relocating may have already helped.
Second is Maryland at 9.7 in 2006. Maryland's murder rate problem is blamed on Baltimore's high incidence of murder, 282 in 2007, but that's when agreement ends with experts arguing causal relationships with out of control illegal drug trade to police corruption. Watch HBO's series The Wire to get a taste.
Nevada is at a close third with 9.0 in 2006. As I noted in previous articles, Nevada is up there for suicides and gun ownership as well. Las Vegas gambling amounting to billions and high gun ownership seem to twist into high rates of homicide and suicide.
Fourth and fifth are Alabama and South Carolina with 8.3 in 2006. There isn't much discussed about the causes, and I can only guess that the residue of slavery on the southern states with severe racial discrimination resulting in lack of opportunity perpetuating poverty may be a factor. I can't even give a touch of my sarcasm or cynicism here simply because it may be oh so true.
The safest states are New Hampshire, South Dakota, North Dakota, Hawaii, and Wyoming in that order with murder rates ranging from 1.0 to 1.7 for every 100,000 people. Here's the contradictory data though because North and South Dakota have high gun ownership rates just like Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina. So why such low murder rates in the Dakotas compared to the southern states? Possibly the low populations of well under 1 million in each state along with a rural lifestyle doesn't churn out the urban rage that seems to nurture murder.
I'm not trying to create panic and fear because admittedly the murder rates in most states have decreased (or had only a slight increase)in the decade from 1996-2006. A 10 year decrease is significant no matter how small since the US population increased by over 2 million every year. That's a good sign, more people but less killing, maybe less than Kill Bill both volumes.
Homicide data are from Death Penalty Information Center
p.s. i luv u john cena!!!!