Murder Rates—Cities

Topic:
CRIME; MUNICIPALITIES; MURDER; CRIMINAL STATISTICS;
Location:
CRIMINAL STATISTICS;

Connecticut General Assembly

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

January 29, 1998 98-R-0157

TO:

FROM: George Coppolo, Chief Attorney

RE: Murder Rates—Cities

You asked how Connecticut cities compare with other cities regarding their murder rates.

Following are the homicide rates per 100,000 inhabitants for 38 standard metropolitan statistical areas for 1996, the most recent year such statistics are available. For Connecticut, the report lists the homicide rates for Bridgeport (10.8%), Hartford (4%), New Haven (5.5%), and Waterbury (7.1%).

The statistics reflect crimes the FBI defines as “criminal homicide.” This includes murder and nonnegligent manslaughter which involves the willful killing of one person by another. The statistics are based solely on police investigations as opposed to the determination of a court, medical examiner, coroner, jury, or other judicial body.

Table 1 contains the rates arranged alphabetically by the standard metropolitan statistical area. Table 2 contains the same information arranged from the lowest to the highest rate.

Table 1

Homicide Rates—Metropolitan Areas Listed Alphabetically—1996

*Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area*	*Population*	*Homicide Rate (%)*
Albuquerque, New Mexico	669,120	14.2
Atlanta, Georgia	3,471,906	9.9
Austin-San Marcos Texas	1,003,297	5.4
Baltimore, Maryland	2,495,067	15.8
Baton Rouge, Louisiana	562,908	17.9
Boston, Massachusetts	3,443,191	2.8
Bridgeport, Connecticut	452,787	10.8
Buffalo, New York	1,192,353	6
Columbus, Ohio	1,430,860	7.3
Dallas, Texas	2,911,263	9.8
Denver, Colorado	1,869,821	5.7
Detroit, Michigan	4,353,756	11.9
Fresno, California	846,518	12.4
Gary-Hammond Indiana	629,446	18.1
Hartford, Connecticut	1,047,972	4
Indianapolis, Indiana	1,484,877	10
Las Vegas, Nevada	1,182,509	17.7
Los Angeles—Long Beach California	9,280,355	15.1
Memphis, Tennessee	1,084,720	17.8
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	1,468,452	9.4
Minneapolis—St. Paul, Minnesota	2,743,403	4.5
Nashville, Tennessee	1,099,939	10.4
Newark, New Jersey	1,954,570	8.2
New Haven-Meriden, Connecticut	561,102	5.5
New Orleans, Louisiana	1,319,922	31.9
New York, New York	8,618,741	12
Oakland, California	2,213,427	9.6
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	1,021,052	8.5
Omaha, Nebraska	673,237	4.8
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	4,966,719	10.2
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania	2,409,583	3.4
Providence, Rhode Island	951,344	2.6
Rochester, New York	1,091,510	5.5
San Diego, California	2,669,512	6.2
San Francisco, California	1,669,334	5.8
Springfield, Massachusetts	509,784	3.7
Washington, D.C.	4,503,120	13.8
Waterbury, Connecticut	182,623	7.1

Table 2

Homicide Rates Listed from Lowest to Highest—1996

*Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area*	*Population*	*Homicide Rate (%)*
Providence, Rhode Island	951,344	2.6
Boston, Massachusetts	3,443,191	2.8
Pittsburgh, PA	2,409,583	3.4
Springfield, Massachusetts	509,784	3.7
Hartford, Connecticut	1,047,972	4
Minneapolis—St. Paul Minnesota	2,743,403	4.5
Omaha, Nebraska	673,237	4.8
Austin-San Marcos Texas	1,003,297	5.4
New Haven-Meriden, Connecticut	561,102	5.5
Rochester, New York	1,091,510	5.5
Denver, Colorado	1,869,821	5.7
San Francisco, California	1,669,334	5.8
Buffalo, New York	1,192,353	6
San Diego, California	2,669,512	6.2
Waterbury, Connecticut	182,623	7.1
Columbus, Ohio	1,430,860	7.3
Newark, New Jersey	1,954,570	8.2
Oklahoma, Oklahoma	1,021,052	8.5
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	1,468,452	9.4
Oakland, California	2,213,427	9.6
Dallas, Texas	2,911,263	9.8
Atlanta, Georgia	3,471,906	9.9
Indianapolis, Indiana	1,484,877	10
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	4,966,719	10.2
Nashville, Tennessee	1,099,939	10.4
Bridgeport, Connecticut	452,787	10.8
Detroit, Michigan	4,353,756	11.9
New York, New York	8,618,741	12
Fresno, California	846,518	12.4
Washington, D.C.	4,503,120	13.8
Albuquerque, New Mexico	669,120	14.2
Los Angeles—Long Beach California	9,280,355	15.1
Baltimore, Maryland	2,495,067	15.8
Las Vegas, Nevada	1,182,509	17.7
Memphis, Tennessee	1,084,720	17.8
Baton Rouge, Louisiana	562,908	17.9
Gary-Hammond Indiana	629,446	18.1
New Orleans, Louisiana	1,319,922	31.9

GC:lc