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Which State Is The Most Dangerous?

Which State Is The Safest?

See Rankings Below or Click on These Links for More Information:

Click Here for the Complete 2002 State Awards Publication

| Safest Order | Award Rankings 1994 to 2002 |

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"1" is Most Dangerous, "50" is Safest

2002 MOST DANGEROUS STATE

ALPHA ORDER

 

RANK ORDER

2002 RANK

STATE

SUM

2001 RANK

CHANGE

 

2002 RANK

STATE

SUM

2001 RANK

CHANGE

17

Alabama

3.19

19

-2

 

1

Louisiana

41.58

4

-3

11

Alaska

13.50

5

6

 

2

Florida

39.09

2

0

5

Arizona

28.97

7

-2

 

3

New Mexico

36.69

1

2

22

Arkansas

-9.89

25

-3

 

4

Maryland

33.30

6

-2

13

California

11.70

17

-4

 

5

Arizona

28.97

7

-2

30

Colorado

-19.45

26

4

 

6

Tennessee

28.58

9

-3

37

Connecticut

-30.96

37

0

 

7

Nevada

27.57

3

4

12

Delaware

12.88

10

2

 

8

South Carolina

23.17

8

0

2

Florida

39.09

2

0

 

9

Michigan

19.69

12

-3

16

Georgia

9.56

13

3

 

10

Illinois

17.18

11

-1

28

Hawaii

-19.03

33

-5

 

11

Alaska

13.50

5

6

46

Idaho

-48.94

42

4

 

12

Delaware

12.88

10

2

10

Illinois

17.18

11

-1

 

13

California

11.70

17

-4

26

Indiana

-15.18

24

2

 

14

Texas

11.26

15

-1

44

Iowa

-48.19

43

1

 

15

North Carolina

9.60

14

1

23

Kansas

-10.49

23

0

 

16

Georgia

9.56

13

3

35

Kentucky

-29.17

38

-3

 

17

Alabama

3.19

19

-2

1

Louisiana

41.58

4

-3

 

18

Washington

1.56

20

-2

49

Maine

-61.44

48

1

 

19

Oklahoma

0.96

18

1

4

Maryland

33.30

6

-2

 

20

Mississippi

-0.25

16

4

32

Massachusetts

-23.75

30

2

 

21

Missouri

-1.55

21

0

9

Michigan

19.69

12

-3

 

22

Arkansas

-9.89

25

-3

34

Minnesota

-27.02

36

-2

 

23

Kansas

-10.49

23

0

20

Mississippi

-0.25

16

4

 

24

New York

-12.19

22

2

21

Missouri

-1.55

21

0

 

25

Ohio

-13.69

28

-3

42

Montana

-46.07

45

-3

 

26

Indiana

-15.18

24

2

36

Nebraska

-30.04

34

2

 

27

Rhode Island

-15.47

32

-5

7

Nevada

27.57

3

4

 

28

Hawaii

-19.03

33

-5

43

New Hampshire

-47.23

49

-6

 

30

Colorado

-19.45

26

4

33

New Jersey

-24.03

31

2

 

30

Oregon

-19.45

27

3

3

New Mexico

36.69

1

2

 

31

Pennsylvania

-20.02

29

2

24

New York

-12.19

22

2

 

32

Massachusetts

-23.75

30

2

15

North Carolina

9.60

14

1

 

33

New Jersey

-24.03

31

2

50

North Dakota

-67.50

50

0

 

34

Minnesota

-27.02

36

-2

25

Ohio

-13.69

28

-3

 

35

Kentucky

-29.17

38

-3

19

Oklahoma

0.96

18

1

 

36

Nebraska

-30.04

34

2

30

Oregon

-19.45

27

3

 

37

Connecticut

-30.96

37

0

31

Pennsylvania

-20.02

29

2

 

38

Virginia

-32.19

35

3

27

Rhode Island

-15.47

32

-5

 

39

Utah

-33.19

39

0

8

South Carolina

23.17

8

0

 

40

Wisconsin

-40.99

41

-1

47

South Dakota

-55.63

44

3

 

41

West Virginia

-45.14

40

1

6

Tennessee

28.58

9

-3

 

42

Montana

-46.07

45

-3

14

Texas

11.26

15

-1

 

43

New Hampshire

-47.23

49

-6

39

Utah

-33.19

39

0

 

44

Iowa

-48.19

43

1

48

Vermont

-59.17

47

1

 

45

Wyoming

-48.71

46

-1

38

Virginia

-32.19

35

3

 

46

Idaho

-48.94

42

4

18

Washington

1.56

20

-2

 

47

South Dakota

-55.63

44

3

41

West Virginia

-45.14

40

1

 

48

Vermont

-59.17

47

1

40

Wisconsin

-40.99

41

-1

 

49

Maine

-61.44

48

1

45

Wyoming

-48.71

46

-1

 

50

North Dakota

-67.50

50

0

METHODOLOGY: The Most Dangerous State 2002 rankings are determined by a four step process. First, rates for six crime categories — murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft — are plugged into a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given crime category.

Second, the outcome of this equation is then multiplied by a weight assigned to each crime category. For this year’s award, we again gave each crime category equal weight. Thus state comparisons are based purely on crime rates and how these rates stack up to the national average for a given crime category.

Third, the weighted numbers are added together to achieve state’s score ("SUM.") In the fourth and final step, these composite scores are ranked from highest to lowest to determine which states are the most dangerous and safest. Thus the farther below the national average a state’s crime rate is, the lower (and safer) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and more dangerous) a state ranks in the final list.