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NOTES ON THIS PAGE 1996 CRIME STATISTICS MAIN PAGE THUNDER & LIGHTNING NEWS SERVICE HOME PAGE FBI HOME PAGE

PRELIMINARY 1996 FBI CRIME STATISTICS BIG CITY CRIME RATES from lowest to highest

Rank	City & State	1996 Population (est)	Number of Crime Index Incidents	Crime Index Rate (per 100,000 residents)
1	SIMI VALLEY, CA	108,469	2,401	2,213.5
2	THOUSAND OAKS, CA	112,559	2,547	2,262.8
3	AMHERST TOWN, NY	107,331	2,749	2,561.2
4	SANTA CLARITA, CA	125,435	3,255	2,595.0
5	SUNNYVALE, CA	121,284	3,488	2,875.9
6	IRVINE, CA	127,410	4,090	3,210.1
7	LIVONIA, MI	101,450	3,422	3,373.1
8	ORANGE, CA	118,445	4,085	3,448.9
9	STERLING HEIGHTS, MI	120,737	4,570	3,785.1
10	HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA	191,911	7,305	3,806.5
11	GLENDALE, CA	181,019	6,966	3,848.2
12	BURBANK, CA	101,082	4,161	4,116.5
13	SAN JOSE, CA	830,374	34,287	4,129.1
14	RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA	116,431	4,828	4,146.7
15	FREMONT, CA	186,186	7,769	4,172.7
16	ANN ARBOR, MI	109,939	4,696	4,271.5
17	NORWALK, CA	102,176	4,388	4,294.6
18	GARDEN GROVE, CA	150,062	6,477	4,316.2
19	EL MONTE, CA	106,149	4,597	4,330.7
20	FULLERTON, CA	118,524	5,246	4,426.1
21	YONKERS, NY	183,650	8,210	4,470.5
22	SANTA ANA, CA	294,963	13,213	4,479.5
23	HENDERSON, NV	112,217	5,029	4,481.5
24	GREEN BAY, WI	104,283	4,677	4,484.9
25	CHESAPEAKE, VA	183,965	8,463	4,600.3
26	MADISON, WI	197,572	9,096	4,603.9
27	STAMFORD, CT	107,165	4,955	4,623.7
28	DOWNEY, CA	101,309	4,785	4,723.2
29	VIRGINIA BEACH, VA	439,851	20,819	4,733.2
30	WEST COVINA, CA	104,766	4,968	4,742.0
31	GARLAND, TX	201,336	9,562	4,749.3
32	SIOUX FALLS, SD	110,891	5,354	4,828.2
33	OCEANSIDE, CA	148,308	7,197	4,852.7
34	LANCASTER, CA	120,881	5,947	4,919.7
35	CAMBRIDGE, MA	100,725	4,968	4,932.2
36	MIDLAND, TX	100,087	4,966	4,961.7
37	TORRANCE, CA	140,185	7,054	5,031.9
38	HAMPTON, VA	142,248	7,167	5,038.4
39	PALMDALE, CA	104,894	5,311	5,063.2
40	PLANO, TX	163,817	8,318	5,077.6
41	ERIE, PA	108,432	5,532	5,101.8
42	ANAHEIM, CA	286,146	14,650	5,119.8
43	FONTANA, CA	105,211	5,430	5,161.1
44	ABILENE, TX	114,523	5,971	5,213.8
45	NEW YORK, NY	7,339,594	383,342	5,222.9
46	FORT COLLINS, CO	103,472	5,448	5,265.2
47	SAN DIEGO, CA	1,168,364	61,573	5,270.0
48	PITTSBURGH, PA	354,308	18,763	5,295.7
49	POMONA, CA	145,916	7,789	5,338.0
50	OXNARD, CA	147,937	7,910	5,346.9
51	NEWPORT NEWS, VA	182,487	9,829	5,386.1
52	PASADENA, TX	134,568	7,278	5,408.4
53	PASADENA, CA	136,077	7,423	5,455.0
54	MESQUITE, TX	117,795	6,452	5,477.3
55	IRVING, TX	170,960	9,483	5,546.9
56	INGLEWOOD, CA	111,650	6,241	5,589.8
57	EVANSVILLE, IN	131,455	7,405	5,633.1
58	BOISE, ID	153,258	8,693	5,672.1
59	LAKEWOOD, CO	131,786	7,595	5,763.1
60	ESCONDIDO, CA	118,003	6,857	5,810.9
61	SANTA ROSA, CA	118,625	6,905	5,820.9
62	CHULA VISTA, CA	151,377	8,822	5,827.8
63	SCOTTSDALE, AZ	165,644	9,737	5,878.3
64	LONG BEACH, CA	440,023	26,308	5,978.8
65	WORCESTER, MA	166,782	10,026	6,011.4
66	PATERSON, NJ	139,759	8,448	6,044.7
67	GRAND PRAIRIE, TX	112,930	6,882	6,094.0
68	AURORA, CO	262,188	15,982	6,095.6
69	MORENO VALLEY, CA	141,292	8,733	6,180.8
70	KNOXVILLE, TN	174,054	10,766	6,185.4
71	COLORADO SPRINGS, CO	331,020	20,523	6,199.9
72	ALEXANDRIA, VA	114,996	7,143	6,211.5
73	SALINAS, CA	121,517	7,554	6,216.4
74	RIVERSIDE, CA	245,081	15,493	6,321.6
75	COLUMBUS, GA	194,345	12,290	6,323.8
76	ANCHORAGE, AK	254,774	16,178	6,349.9
77	LEXINGTON, KY	241,150	15,328	6,356.2
78	LUBBOCK, TX	202,403	12,948	6,397.1
79	CONCORD, CA	113,479	7,302	6,434.7
80	BAKERSFIELD, CA	193,777	12,583	6,493.5
81	ONTARIO, CA	136,742	8,907	6,513.7
82	WICHITA FALLS, TX	101,755	6,704	6,588.4
83	CHANDLER, AZ	129,554	8,550	6,599.6
84	DENVER, CO	516,224	34,314	6,647.1
85	MONTGOMERY, AL	197,972	13,202	6,668.6
86	HAYWARD, CA	117,233	7,875	6,717.4
87	LOS ANGELES, CA	3,498,139	235,258	6,725.2
88	RENO, NV	159,559	10,854	6,802.5
89	HONOLULU, HI	878,044	60,059	6,840.1
90	LAS VEGAS, NV	831,303	56,943	6,849.8
91	SYRACUSE, NY	160,033	10,999	6,873.0
92	PHILADELPHIA, PA	1,528,403	105,766	6,920.0
93	LINCOLN, NB	206,704	14,353	6,943.7
94	RALEIGH, NC	245,176	17,080	6,966.4
95	PUEBLO, CO	105,059	7,372	7,017.0
96	ALLENTOWN, PA	105,372	7,444	7,064.5
97	ARLINGTON, TX	298,632	21,312	7,136.5
98	AKRON, OH	223,303	16,007	7,168.3
99	MODESTO, CA	178,865	12,840	7,178.6
100	LAREDO, TX	156,032	11,240	7,203.7
101	TULSA, OK	379,798	27,373	7,207.3
102	JERSEY CITY, NJ	228,424	16,704	7,312.7
103	CLEARWATER, FL	103,036	7,577	7,353.7
104	GLENDALE, AZ	183,029	13,480	7,365.0
105	EL PASO, TX	602,951	45,134	7,485.5
106	FORT WAYNE, IN	186,196	13,966	7,500.7
107	CLEVELAND, OH	496,049	37,409	7,541.4
108	BRIDGEPORT, CT	133,015	10,041	7,548.8
109	MESA, AZ	340,818	25,735	7,551.0
110	SPRINGFIELD, MO	152,024	11,505	7,567.9
111	GRAND RAPIDS, MI	192,358	14,600	7,590.0
112	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	745,127	56,593	7,595.1
113	CINCINNATI, OH	360,457	27,455	7,616.7
114	HOUSTON, TX	1,772,143	135,329	7,636.5
115	LOUISVILLE, KY	274,506	21,031	7,661.4
116	NORFOLK, VA	245,956	18,854	7,665.6
117	OMAHA, NB	350,607	26,939	7,683.5
118	WATERBURY, CT	103,490	7,952	7,683.8
119	INDEPENDENCE, MO	113,382	8,771	7,735.8
120	ST. PAUL, MN	267,292	20,704	7,745.8
121	ALBANY, NY	104,919	8,130	7,748.8
122	DES MOINES, IA	195,455	15,154	7,753.2
123	AUSTIN, TX	537,484	42,279	7,866.1
124	MILWAUKEE, WI	627,139	49,646	7,916.3
125	WICHITA, KS	312,706	24,881	7,956.7
126	VALLEJO, CA	113,069	8,997	7,957.1
127	LANSING, MI	120,821	9,744	8,064.8
128	GREENSBORO, NC	203,186	16,393	8,068.0
129	BOSTON, MA	552,519	44,711	8,092.2
130	PORTSMOUTH, VA	105,404	8,582	8,142.0
131	SPOKANE, WA	199,636	16,286	8,157.8
132	AMARILLO, TX	171,779	14,088	8,201.2
133	LAFAYETTE, LA	103,134	8,482	8,224.3
134	FORT WORTH, TX	470,254	38,902	8,272.6
135	BROWNSVILLE, TX	117,511	9,868	8,397.5
136	TOLEDO, OH	324,610	27,488	8,468.0
137	BUFFALO, NY	313,238	26,644	8,506.0
138	ELIZABETH, NJ	107,427	9,209	8,572.3
139	SAN ANTONIO, TX	1,021,477	87,710	8,586.6
140	STOCKTON, CA	225,799	19,401	8,592.2
141	BEAUMONT, TX	119,715	10,309	8,611.3
142	JACKSONVILLE, FL	690,367	59,534	8,623.5
143	PROVIDENCE, RI	149,805	13,114	8,754.0
144	HUNTSVILLE, AL	162,376	14,330	8,825.2
145	SACRAMENTO, CA	379,283	33,780	8,906.3
146	TEMPE, AZ	156,788	14,031	8,949.0
147	SALEM, OR	119,822	10,732	8,956.6
148	SAVANNAH, GA	146,534	13,198	9,006.8
149	ROCHESTER, NY	231,373	20,928	9,045.1
150	HIALEAH, FL	200,339	18,210	9,089.6
151	SAN BERNARDINO, CA	184,303	16,971	9,208.2
152	CHATTANOOGA, TN	156,524	14,688	9,383.9
153	MOBILE, AL	207,106	19,512	9,421.3
154	DALLAS, TX	1,060,585	100,401	9,466.6
155	COLUMBUS, OH	640,297	61,083	9,539.8
156	PHOENIX, AZ	1,139,793	108,749	9,541.1
157	RICHMOND, VA	204,881	19,771	9,650.0
158	CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG, NC	554,070	53,523	9,660.0
159	GARY, IN	116,024	11,229	9,678.2
160	ST. PETERSBURG, FL	246,229	23,843	9,683.3
161	HOLLYWOOD, FL	128,996	12,535	9,717.4
162	TUCSON, AZ	472,385	46,866	9,921.1
163	DAYTON, OH	179,680	17,841	9,929.3
164	EUGENE, OR	122,637	12,181	9,932.6
165	INDIANAPOLIS, IN	376,531	37,917	10,070.1
166	SOUTH BEND, IN	106,718	10,822	10,140.7
167	TALLAHASSEE, FL	138,001	14,018	10,157.9
168	BERKELEY, CA	101,250	10,332	10,204.4
169	SEATTLE, WA	539,591	55,636	10,310.8
170	JACKSON, MS	196,619	20,466	10,409.0
171	WACO, TX	110,213	11,553	10,482.4
172	OAKLAND, CA	372,145	39,174	10,526.5
173	HARTFORD, CT	124,223	13,188	10,616.4
174	TACOMA, WA	189,568	20,143	10,625.7
175	CORPUS CHRISTI, TX	286,660	30,467	10,628.3
176	FRESNO, CA	392,049	41,688	10,633.4
177	PORTLAND, OR	467,906	50,306	10,751.3
178	BIRMINGHAM, AL	272,169	29,283	10,759.1
179	NEW ORLEANS, LA	488,300	53,919	11,042.2
180	MEMPHIS, TN	631,626	70,283	11,127.3
181	NASHVILLE, TN	530,059	59,467	11,218.9
182	MINNEAPOLIS, MN	361,595	40,826	11,290.5
183	ALBUQUERQUE, NM	426,736	48,252	11,307.2
184	DURHAM, NC	148,571	16,834	11,330.6
185	LITTLE ROCK, AR	182,799	21,016	11,496.8
186	FLINT, MI	139,588	16,054	11,501.0
187	COLUMBIA, SC	105,316	12,154	11,540.5
188	KANSAS CITY, MO	448,474	52,300	11,661.8
189	WINSTON-SALEM, NC	160,678	18,974	11,808.7
190	SHREVEPORT, LA	199,418	23,657	11,863.0
191	WASHINGTON, DC	543,000	64,557	11,889.0
192	DETROIT, MI	1,002,299	120,188	11,991.2
193	BALTIMORE, MD	716,446	85,982	12,001.2
194	OKLAHOMA CITY, OK	469,632	57,030	12,143.6
195	MACON, GA	113,802	13,961	12,267.8
196	SALT LAKE CITY, UT	180,180	22,283	12,367.1
197	NEW HAVEN, CT	119,566	15,036	12,575.5
198	TOPEKA, KS	121,495	15,394	12,670.5
199	NEWARK, NJ	261,909	34,437	13,148.5
200	ORLANDO, FL	182,616	24,055	13,172.4
201	MIAMI, FL	384,976	52,918	13,745.8
202	TAMPA, FL	294,670	42,873	14,549.5
203	BATON ROUGE, LA	229,501	33,757	14,708.9
204	ST. LOUIS, MO	374,041	56,588	15,128.8
205	FORT LAUDERDALE, FL	168,059	25,487	15,165.5
206	ATLANTA, GA	413,123	70,536	17,073.8

NOTES

A number of cities with populations greater than 100,000 are not included on this list.. These cities either do not participate in the FBI's voluntary Uniform Crime Reporting problem, or have not reported crimes completely for the years in question.

Cities not included in this report:

City & State

AURORA, IL

BABYLON TOWN, NY

BROOKHAVEN, NY

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA

CHICAGO, IL

HUNTINGTON, NY

ISLIP, NY

KANSAS CITY, KS

NAPERVILLE, IL

OVERLAND PARK, KS

PEORIA, IL

ROCKFORD, IL

SPRINGFIELD, IL

SPRINGFIELD, MA

WARREN, MI

METHODOLOGY

Statistics were drawn from the 1996 Uniform Crime Reports Preliminary Annual Report (June 1, 1997), and in additions made to the Preliminary Annual Report through June 5, 1997.

Populations are 1996 estimates provided to the FBI by the U. S. Census Bureau.

Calculations and rankings were prepared by Number Crunchers Precision Journalism®.

THE INDEX

There are seven crimes included in the FBI's Crime Index. Four are crimes against persons, also known as violent crimes. Three are crimes against property. A fourth category of property crime – arson – was added to the FBI Crime Index in the late 1970s. However, not all agencies report the category. Thus, seven crimes are included in these statistics. They are:

VIOLENT CRIME	PROPERTY CRIME
Murder and non-negligent manslaughter	Burglary
Forcible Rape	Larceny-Theft
Robbery	Motor Vehicle Theft
Aggravated Assault

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

The FBI Crime Index has several substantial strengths and weaknesses as a measure of crime. Primary among its strengths is how widespread it is. The overwhelming majority of law-enforcement agencies across the country voluntarily contribute data to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program each year.

Among the weaknesses is that the FBI Crime Index counts only those incidents in selected categories known to police. Crimes – such as rape, for instance – in categories where reporting is known to be less than complete may not be accurately represented. Also, crimes within certain communities which may not cooperate fully with and trust their law-enforcement agencies may be skewed.