(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) August 26, 2024 — The National Police Association announced a new state has been added to its latest national billboard campaign asking people to support the police by thanking a cop. The latest state is Georgia.
Georgia ranks 27th nationwide with a violent crime rate of 3.67 incidents per 1,000 residents, a property crime rate of 16.91 per 1,000 residents, and a 1 in 272 likelihood of falling victim to a crime.
Drug abuse violations are the most common cause of arrests in Georgia, with 60,363 such arrests reported in 2022, according to the analysis.
A recent study by Forbes highlights that four of the five safest states are located in New England, where factors like homogeneous populations, high educational attainment, and higher median incomes contribute to lower crime rates.
The top five safest states, according to the rankings, are:
New Hampshire
Maine
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New Jersey
In contrast, the most dangerous states are:
New Mexico
Arkansas
Louisiana
Colorado
California
Forbes reports that New Mexico ranks as the most dangerous state due to its high rates of violent and property crimes. Contributing factors include criminal justice reforms in 2016 that resulted in the release of more defendants pre-trial, high population density, and lower per capita income.
Poverty rates are also high in Arkansas and Louisiana. However, Colorado and California, two of the ten wealthiest states, demonstrate that “crime can happen anywhere,” according to Forbes.
The analysis also notes an increase in gun assaults and carjackings in recent years. On the other hand, shoplifting rates have declined by 2%, likely due to stores implementing preventive measures such as limiting access to frequently stolen items.
While property crimes remain more common, violent crime overall decreased by 1.7% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Notably, murders and non-negligent manslaughter cases dropped by 6.1%.
This reduction in murders is significant given the 30% spike in 2020. Forbes points out that firearms were involved in 75% of those cases. During the pandemic, murders disproportionately affected disadvantaged youth in both urban and rural communities.
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