Richmond dropped out of the “top 10 most dangerous cities in America” based on 2010 crime records. Oakland and Stockton made the top 10.
Article by 24/7 Wall St. Posted on May 24, 2011, www.247wallst.com

Yesterday, the FBI trumpeted the news that violent crime dropped 5.5% in 2010 while reported property crimes fell 2.8% during the depths of the worst economic slowdown since the Great Depression.  The news, though, is far from positive.

Though most regions of the U.S. saw declines, the Northeast saw an increase in murders (8.3%), forcible rapes (1.4%)  and aggravated assaults (0.7%).  Why that region was affected by crime more than others isn’t clear.  Perhaps it was because of the grinding poverty found in some of the area’s cities and their high cost of living.

The Police Executive Research Forum polled 233 local law enforcement agencies in 2009, and found that the link between poverty and crime was inextricable. A prolonged recession would only make matters worse, the research showed. After reviewing the data, PERF Executive Director Chuck Wexler told Reuters, “We are not saying there is going to be a crime wave, but we are saying this is a wake-up call and we anticipate the situation will continue to deteriorate.” Read more