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

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

Rank	City & State	1996 Population (est)	Number of Violent Incidents	Violent Crime Rate
1	AMHERST TOWN, NY	107,331	98	91.3
2	SIMI VALLEY, CA	108,469	156	143.8
3	SUNNYVALE, CA	121,284	231	190.5
4	STERLING HEIGHTS, MI	120,737	231	191.3
5	THOUSAND OAKS, CA	112,559	232	206.1
6	IRVINE, CA	127,410	274	215.1
7	LIVONIA, MI	101,450	239	235.6
8	VIRGINIA BEACH, VA	439,851	1,075	244.4
9	SCOTTSDALE, AZ	165,644	445	268.6
10	HENDERSON, NV	112,217	323	287.8
11	HONOLULU, HI	878,044	2,748	313.0
12	RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA	116,431	370	317.8
13	HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA	191,911	611	318.4
14	BOISE, ID	153,258	499	325.6
15	SALEM, OR	119,822	394	328.8
16	CHANDLER, AZ	129,554	428	330.4
17	PLANO, TX	163,817	569	347.3
18	MESQUITE, TX	117,795	438	371.8
19	ANN ARBOR, MI	109,939	409	372.0
20	GREEN BAY, WI	104,283	388	372.1
21	MIDLAND, TX	100,087	377	376.7
22	GARLAND, TX	201,336	777	385.9
23	MADISON, WI	197,572	772	390.7
24	GLENDALE, CA	181,019	721	398.3
25	FORT COLLINS, CO	103,472	419	404.9
26	FULLERTON, CA	118,524	485	409.2
27	STAMFORD, CT	107,165	441	411.5
28	HAMPTON, VA	142,248	592	416.2
29	SIOUX FALLS, SD	110,891	473	426.5
30	FREMONT, CA	186,186	812	436.1
31	CHESAPEAKE, VA	183,965	804	437.0
32	TORRANCE, CA	140,185	632	450.8
33	BURBANK, CA	101,082	456	451.1
34	COLUMBUS, GA	194,345	886	455.9
35	SAN ANTONIO, TX	1,021,477	4,741	464.1
36	IRVING, TX	170,960	804	470.3
37	DES MOINES, IA	195,455	923	472.2
38	ORANGE, CA	118,445	562	474.5
39	SANTA CLARITA, CA	125,435	596	475.1
40	LAKEWOOD, CO	131,786	630	478.0
41	COLORADO SPRINGS, CO	331,020	1,595	481.8
42	INDEPENDENCE, MO	113,382	587	517.7
43	ABILENE, TX	114,523	598	522.2
44	SPRINGFIELD, MO	152,024	795	522.9
45	WEST COVINA, CA	104,766	568	542.2
46	ALEXANDRIA, VA	114,996	636	553.1
47	TEMPE, AZ	156,788	871	555.5
48	SANTA ROSA, CA	118,625	663	558.9
49	GARDEN GROVE, CA	150,062	845	563.1
50	CONCORD, CA	113,479	646	569.3
51	FORT WAYNE, IN	186,196	1,069	574.1
52	BAKERSFIELD, CA	193,777	1,121	578.5
53	DOWNEY, CA	101,309	590	582.4
54	LINCOLN, NB	206,704	1,215	587.8
55	EVANSVILLE, IN	131,455	780	593.4
56	YONKERS, NY	183,650	1,104	601.1
57	EUGENE, OR	122,637	739	602.6
58	ERIE, PA	108,432	669	617.0
59	ALLENTOWN, PA	105,372	653	619.7
60	AURORA, CO	262,188	1,629	621.3
61	WATERBURY, CT	103,490	657	634.8
62	CAMBRIDGE, MA	100,725	649	644.3
63	NEWPORT NEWS, VA	182,487	1,176	644.4
64	SPOKANE, WA	199,636	1,308	655.2
65	LAREDO, TX	156,032	1,040	666.5
66	GLENDALE, AZ	183,029	1,221	667.1
67	PASADENA, TX	134,568	903	671.0
68	PROVIDENCE, RI	149,805	1,033	689.6
69	ESCONDIDO, CA	118,003	819	694.1
70	HAYWARD, CA	117,233	817	696.9
71	RENO, NV	159,559	1,123	703.8
72	MODESTO, CA	178,865	1,267	708.4
73	AUSTIN, TX	537,484	3,822	711.1
74	ANAHEIM, CA	286,146	2,051	716.8
75	MESA, AZ	340,818	2,459	721.5
76	CHULA VISTA, CA	151,377	1,094	722.7
77	SAN JOSE, CA	830,374	6,075	731.6
78	DENVER, CO	516,224	3,832	742.3
79	SANTA ANA, CA	294,963	2,231	756.4
80	WICHITA, KS	312,706	2,372	758.5
81	MONTGOMERY, AL	197,972	1,589	802.6
82	PITTSBURGH, PA	354,308	2,847	803.5
83	MACON, GA	113,802	921	809.3
84	TOLEDO, OH	324,610	2,635	811.7
85	ANCHORAGE, AK	254,774	2,078	815.6
86	LAFAYETTE, LA	103,134	844	818.4
87	HUNTSVILLE, AL	162,376	1,339	824.6
88	LEXINGTON, KY	241,150	1,998	828.5
89	ARLINGTON, TX	298,632	2,478	829.8
90	AMARILLO, TX	171,779	1,428	831.3
91	SALT LAKE CITY, UT	180,180	1,501	833.1
92	OCEANSIDE, CA	148,308	1,239	835.4
93	SEATTLE, WA	539,591	4,543	841.9
94	MORENO VALLEY, CA	141,292	1,192	843.6
95	EL PASO, TX	602,951	5,138	852.1
96	RALEIGH, NC	245,176	2,109	860.2
97	WICHITA FALLS, TX	101,755	878	862.9
98	PASADENA, CA	136,077	1,178	865.7
99	SAN DIEGO, CA	1,168,364	10,148	868.6
100	SYRACUSE, NY	160,033	1,398	873.6
101	KNOXVILLE, TN	174,054	1,526	876.7
102	HOLLYWOOD, FL	128,996	1,158	897.7
103	ST. PAUL, MN	267,292	2,437	911.7
104	PHOENIX, AZ	1,139,793	10,529	923.8
105	WORCESTER, MA	166,782	1,557	933.6
106	OXNARD, CA	147,937	1,382	934.2
107	NORFOLK, VA	245,956	2,332	948.1
108	GREENSBORO, NC	203,186	1,927	948.4
109	MILWAUKEE, WI	627,139	5,997	956.2
110	SOUTH BEND, IN	106,718	1,022	957.7
111	COLUMBUS, OH	640,297	6,216	970.8
112	SAVANNAH, GA	146,534	1,428	974.5
113	SACRAMENTO, CA	379,283	3,707	977.4
114	BROWNSVILLE, TX	117,511	1,151	979.5
115	ROCHESTER, NY	231,373	2,270	981.1
116	HIALEAH, FL	200,339	2,013	1,004.8
117	PORTSMOUTH, VA	105,404	1,066	1,011.3
118	LAS VEGAS, NV	831,303	8,409	1,011.5
119	LUBBOCK, TX	202,403	2,066	1,020.7
120	GRAND PRAIRIE, TX	112,930	1,156	1,023.6
121	ONTARIO, CA	136,742	1,425	1,042.1
122	BEAUMONT, TX	119,715	1,252	1,045.8
123	AKRON, OH	223,303	2,345	1,050.1
124	POMONA, CA	145,916	1,537	1,053.3
125	CORPUS CHRISTI, TX	286,660	3,020	1,053.5
126	MOBILE, AL	207,106	2,185	1,055.0
127	FORT WORTH, TX	470,254	4,984	1,059.9
128	BERKELEY, CA	101,250	1,086	1,072.6
129	ALBANY, NY	104,919	1,132	1,078.9
130	PALMDALE, CA	104,894	1,141	1,087.8
131	CINCINNATI, OH	360,457	3,921	1,087.8
132	TUCSON, AZ	472,385	5,199	1,100.6
133	ELIZABETH, NJ	107,427	1,187	1,104.9
134	SALINAS, CA	121,517	1,359	1,118.4
135	CLEARWATER, FL	103,036	1,155	1,121.0
136	DAYTON, OH	179,680	2,026	1,127.6
137	OKLAHOMA CITY, OK	469,632	5,308	1,130.2
138	TALLAHASSEE, FL	138,001	1,562	1,131.9
139	DURHAM, NC	148,571	1,687	1,135.5
140	LANCASTER, CA	120,881	1,383	1,144.1
141	NORWALK, CA	102,176	1,176	1,151.0
142	LONG BEACH, CA	440,023	5,069	1,152.0
143	TULSA, OK	379,798	4,428	1,165.9
144	PATERSON, NJ	139,759	1,634	1,169.2
145	JACKSON, MS	196,619	2,366	1,203.3
146	EL MONTE, CA	106,149	1,282	1,207.7
147	WACO, TX	110,213	1,352	1,226.7
148	LOUISVILLE, KY	274,506	3,389	1,234.6
149	TOPEKA, KS	121,495	1,502	1,236.3
150	SHREVEPORT, LA	199,418	2,489	1,248.1
151	HOUSTON, TX	1,772,143	22,456	1,267.2
152	GRAND RAPIDS, MI	192,358	2,443	1,270.0
153	FONTANA, CA	105,211	1,347	1,280.3
154	RIVERSIDE, CA	245,081	3,169	1,293.0
155	PUEBLO, CO	105,059	1,387	1,320.2
156	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	745,127	9,887	1,326.9
157	NEW YORK, NY	7,339,594	98,596	1,343.3
158	OMAHA, NB	350,607	4,742	1,352.5
159	LANSING, MI	120,821	1,649	1,364.8
160	CHATTANOOGA, TN	156,524	2,145	1,370.4
161	STOCKTON, CA	225,799	3,115	1,379.5
162	VALLEJO, CA	113,069	1,565	1,384.1
163	FRESNO, CA	392,049	5,462	1,393.2
164	WINSTON-SALEM, NC	160,678	2,268	1,411.5
165	JACKSONVILLE, FL	690,367	9,765	1,414.5
166	BUFFALO, NY	313,238	4,532	1,446.8
167	ALBUQUERQUE, NM	426,736	6,266	1,468.4
168	TACOMA, WA	189,568	2,785	1,469.1
169	LITTLE ROCK, AR	182,799	2,757	1,508.2
170	PHILADELPHIA, PA	1,528,403	23,367	1,528.9
171	DALLAS, TX	1,060,585	16,280	1,535.0
172	FORT LAUDERDALE, FL	168,059	2,584	1,537.6
173	CLEVELAND, OH	496,049	7,631	1,538.4
174	BRIDGEPORT, CT	133,015	2,107	1,584.0
175	CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG, NC	554,070	8,920	1,609.9
176	BIRMINGHAM, AL	272,169	4,416	1,622.5
177	RICHMOND, VA	204,881	3,383	1,651.2
178	BOSTON, MA	552,519	9,154	1,656.8
179	JERSEY CITY, NJ	228,424	3,791	1,659.6
180	PORTLAND, OR	467,906	7,835	1,674.5
181	HARTFORD, CT	124,223	2,132	1,716.3
182	COLUMBIA, SC	105,316	1,816	1,724.3
183	INGLEWOOD, CA	111,650	1,943	1,740.3
184	SAN BERNARDINO, CA	184,303	3,234	1,754.7
185	LOS ANGELES, CA	3,498,139	62,838	1,796.3
186	MINNEAPOLIS, MN	361,595	6,808	1,882.8
187	NASHVILLE, TN	530,059	10,021	1,890.5
188	ST. PETERSBURG, FL	246,229	4,728	1,920.2
189	INDIANAPOLIS, IN	376,531	7,418	1,970.1
190	KANSAS CITY, MO	448,474	8,885	1,981.2
191	MEMPHIS, TN	631,626	12,537	1,984.9
192	NEW HAVEN, CT	119,566	2,616	2,187.9
193	ORLANDO, FL	182,616	4,002	2,191.5
194	OAKLAND, CA	372,145	8,168	2,194.8
195	NEW ORLEANS, LA	488,300	11,021	2,257.0
196	SPRINGFIELD, MA	150,421	3,428	2,278.9
197	DETROIT, MI	1,002,299	23,239	2,318.6
198	FLINT, MI	139,588	3,325	2,382.0
199	WASHINGTON, DC	543,000	13,411	2,469.8
200	BALTIMORE, MD	716,446	19,507	2,722.7
201	ST. LOUIS, MO	374,041	10,203	2,727.8
202	TAMPA, FL	294,670	8,689	2,948.7
203	MIAMI, FL	384,976	11,990	3,114.5
204	ATLANTA, GA	413,123	13,695	3,315.0
205	GARY, IN	116,024	3,880	3,344.1
206	NEWARK, NJ	261,909	8,761	3,345.1
207	BATON ROUGE, LA	229,501	9,794	4,267.5

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

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.