The Disaster Center Crime Pages
Rate of Crime and
Punishment Per
100,000
and Rank
1978 - 2013
Alaska  
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Iowa
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Maryland
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
Montana
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
Nevada
New York
Ohio Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas Utah
Virginia
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Wyoming 
Rate of Crime Per 100,000
and Rank by State 
 1960 - 1977
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977

Rate of Crime Per 100,000
and Rank by State and
Imprisonment by US States
1978 - 2013
1978
 1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Local  Agency
Reports
1980 - 2005
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
 Idaho
Illinois
 Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
 Maine
 Maryland
 Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
 Mississippi
  Missouri  
Montana
 Nebraska  
Nevada
 New Hampshire
 New Jersey  
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
 North Dakota
 Ohio
 Oklahoma  
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
 South Carolina
South Dakota
 Tennessee
 Texas
 Utah
 Vermont  
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
 Wisconsin
 Wyoming 
Uniform Crime
Rate
1960 - 2019
USA United States  
Alaska  
Alabama  
Arkansas 
Arizona  
California  
Colorado  
Connecticut  
Delaware
Florida  
Georgia  
Hawaii  
Iowa  
Idaho  
Illinois  
Indiana  
Kansas  
Kentucky
Louisiana  
Massachusetts Maryland  
Maine  
Michigan  
Minnesota  
Missouri  
Mississippi  
Montana
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska  
New Hampshire  
New Jersey  
New Mexico  
Nevada  
New York  
Ohio  
Oklahoma  
Oregon  
Pennsylvania  
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia  
Vermont  
Washington DC.
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Wyoming  
Rate and Rank of Crimes in the United States 1960 to 2013 Violent Crime Property Crime Rape Robbery Assault Burglary Larceny Theft Motor Vehicle Theft
In 1978 the State with the highest incarceration rate was South Carolina with 235 inmates per 100,000 people.  In2012 it was Louisiana with 870 inmates per 100,000 people.  Over the past 34 years one of the biggest growth industries in the United States has been the US criminal justice system.  The United States leads the world in both the percentage and number of it's citizens incarcerated.  

The average rate of people imprisoned by the States has gone up about 4 times since 1978 to 2012 from 110  to 395 per 100,000 people; while the crime rate has been reduced by 36%.  The rate of rape does not appear to have been affected by the way the justice system now functions.  Some reduction in crime are due to the development of technology. This is most obvious in the vehicle theft category and may also explain some of the reduction in burglary.  Overall, robbery has declined in most states since 1978 and the crimes of larceny have also seen some reductions.   The most important decline in crime is that there have been fewer murders, this may be in part due to the population getting older. While murder has declined we appear to be assaulting each other as much as ever.

In 2012 the States where criminals are least likely to be jailed or to spend time in jail are Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Washington, Minnesota, and then Maine.  In 2012 New Mexico's crime rate was the 3rd highest, Massachusetts  the 24th, Rhode Island the 37th, Washington the 22nd, Minnesota the 42nd, and Maine the 50th.  The idea that punishment alone is a deterrent to crime does not stand up to the criminal justice records of Maine and Minnesota. 

In 2012 the States with the highest rates of punishment of crime are Mississippi, Idaho, Virginia, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Mississippi was ranked 32nd in crime rate, Idaho 48th, Virginia 47th, Kentucky 43rd, and Louisiana was ranked 7th in crime rate.  Punishment appears to be an attribute of the low crime rates in Idaho, Virginia, and Kentucky.     

The States with the highest rates of imprisoned people in 2012 were Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas.  In 2012, Louisiana had the 7th highest crime rate, Mississippi the 32nd, Alabama the 11th, Oklahoma the 10th, and Texas the 15th. Imprisonment alone does not appear to be a deterrent to crime.  

The States with the highest crime rates in 2012 were Tennessee, South Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, and Delaware.    These states rank high due to wieght the new crime index gives to violent crime, especially to aggravated assault, the violent crime people are most likely to be subject.  In terms of index to inmates Tennessee ranks 44th highest, South Carolina, 36th, New Mexico 49th, Nevada 30th, and Delaware 32nd.  

The States with the lowest crime rates in 2012 were Maine, Vermont, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Wyoming.  Maine is 45th in crimes to inmates, Vermont 24th, Idaho 2nd, New Hampshire 34th, and Wyoming is 6th in crimes to inmates.  It makes sence that the State with the lowest crime rate Maine also has the lowest rate of people imprisoned, but what sets Maine apart is that people who commit crimes in Maine are among the least likely to be imprisioned or to serve a long time for crimes committed.  What does Maine do right that the other States don't?