South Carolina Ranks First in Violent Crime
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Recently released Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics show that South Carolina's violent crime rate was the highest in the nation in 2006, with two areas in the top five. Rising 0.5 percent, South Carolina's violent crime rate is 765 per 100,000 people, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report for 2006.
Violent crimes were up almost 2 percent nationwide. Included in violent crimes are murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
The third highest ranked city in America is located in South Carolina. Sumter ranks 3rd, only behind the large cites of Detroit and Memphis. Sumter rose to 3rd after being 24th in 2005. Another South Carolina city, Florence, ranks near the top at 5th.
Columbia's metro area, which includes Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Calhoun, Fairfield, and Saluda counties, saw violent crime increase only a tenth of a percent. But, Columbia now ranks 36th, compared with 77th in 2005.
The FBI, however, warns against using such statistics to label areas "most dangerous" because statistics do not account for neighborhoods or lifestyle choices.