Murderous Cities

Posted on 04. Jan, 2009 by Kerry Banks in International

In October I was on a trip with an obnoxious American travel writer who remarked that she found Winnipeg to be a dangerous city. I suppose just about anywhere can appear threatening if you end up in the wrong neighbourhood, but this writer, who lived in New York, had already made several disparaging remarks about Canada, and I decided to call her on this one. ”Well, if we’re talking about truly dangerous cities, I would say that some of the most dangerous in the world are found in the U.S. You can get killed for your shoes down there, which is a pretty disgraceful situation considering America is one of the richest nations on earth.” Not so surprisingly, she vehemently disagreed. Later, when I mentioned this verbal exchange to a couple of my friends, they also claimed that I was off base, suggesting cities like Baghdad, Kabul and Mogadishu were a lot more hazardous than anywhere in the U.S. The question remained unresolved, but this week I tried to find out in which cities you have the best chance of getting killed. The answers were quite interesting.

Before I get to the world’s murder rankings, it’s worth noting that Baghdad, which many would nominate as the world’s most dangerous city, is not at the top of the list. In fact, there are about a dozen American cities with a higher murder rate than Iraq’s capital, and if you add assaults and rapes to the index, even more U.S. urban centres rank higher on the danger scale. The lesson? Always keep in mind how media coverage can skew the facts. For those who are curious I have listed the 10 most crime-ridden American cities according to the 2008 Congressional Quarterly Report, which calculates crime using six categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and auto theft.

1. New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Camden, New Jersey
3. Detroit, Michigan
4. St. Louis, Missouri
5. Oakland, California
6. Flint, Michigan
7. Gary, Indiana
8. Birmingham, Alabama
9. Richmond, California
10. North Charleston, South Carolina

Now on to the world’s heavyweights. According to a recent report published by the well-respected Foreign Policy magazine, here the five most dangerous cities based on murders per capita. Surprise! Three of them are major tourist destinations.

Caracas, Venezuela
Population: 3.2 million
Murder rate: 130 per 100,000 residents
Caracas has become far more dangerous in recent years than any South American city, even beating out the once notorious Bogotá. What’s worse, the official homicide statistics likely fall short of the mark because they omit prison-related murders as well as deaths that the state never gets around to properly “categorizing.” The numbers also don’t count those who died while “resisting arrest,” suggesting that Caracas’s cops—already known for their brutality against student protesters—might be cooking the books. Many have pointed the finger at president Hugo Chavez, whose government has failed to tackle the country’s rising rates of violent crime. In fact, since Chávez took over in 1998, Venezuela’s official homicide rate has climbed 67 percent from 4,550 to 13,156 in 2007, an average of 36 murders per day—mostly due to increased drug and gang violence. Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, who recently resigned as interior minister, claimed in July that homicide has dropped 27 percent since January—but experts say he’s just playing with numbers. As for Caracas, whose crime-infested barrios continue to expand, some speculate that its actual murder rate is closer to 160 per 100,000.

Cape Town, South Africa
Population: 3.5 million
Murder rate: 62 per 100,000 inhabitants
A European bastion in the heart of turbulent South Africa, picturesque Cape Town nonetheless has the country’s highest murder rate. The city’s homicides usually take place in suburban townships rather than in the more upscale urban areas that tourists visit. According to the South African Police Service, most of the area’s violent crimes happen between people who know one another, including a horrific case last year in which four males doused a female friend in gasoline and lit her on fire. Occurring just outside city limits, the incident apparently happened after the assailants had taken hard drugs, the use of which has risen along with Cape Town’s violent crime rate. The whopping 12.7 percent rise in the city’s murder rate from 2006 to 2007 has local politicians worried, especially as South Africa prepares to host the 2010 World Cup. The government has hired more police officers to prepare for the tournament, which could help cut crime in soccer-fan hot spots. But until better efforts are made to police Cape Town’s poverty-stricken townships, it’s unlikely that the murder rate—an average of six per day—will see any major drop.

New Orleans, United States
Population: 220,614 to 312,000; estimates vary due to displacement of people after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Murder rate: Estimates range from 67 (New Orleans Police Department) to 95 (FBI) per 100,000
With its grinding poverty, an inadequate school system, a prevalence of public housing and a high incarceration rate, the Big Easy has long been plagued by a serious epidemic of violent crime. Hurricane Katrina didn’t help. Since the storm ravaged the city in 2005, drug dealers have been fighting over a smaller group of users, leading to many killings. On just one four-block stretch of Josephine Street, in the city centre, four people were murdered in 2007 and 15 people shot, including a double homicide on Christmas day. A precise murder rate is hard to pinpoint because the population is swelling quickly, approaching its pre-Katrina numbers. Whether you use New Orleans’s own figures or the FBI’s, however, the city remains the most deadly in the U.S., easily surpassing big, bad Detroit, which had 46 murders per 100,000 people in 2008. New Orleans posted the highest crime rate of any U.S. city last year, with 209 murders and more than 19,000 reported criminal incidents. This marks the third stright year that the homicide rate has increased, up from 162 in 2006 and 209 in 2007.

Moscow, Russia
Population: 10.4 million
Murder rate: 9.6 per 100,000 (estimate)
Moscow’s murder rate is paltry compared with that of Caracas or Cape Town, but the city still ranks far above other major European capitals. London, Paris, Rome and Madrid, for instance, all had rates below 2 murders per 100,000 in 2006. Moscow’s homicide rate is down 15 percent this year from last, but the recent surge in hate crimes—including the deadly beating of a Tajik carpenter by a gang of youths on Valentine’s Day—suggests that the lull might be temporary. Sixty ethnically motivated killings have taken place in 2008, part of a sixfold increase in hate crimes committed in the city during 2007. Several of the murders have been attributed to ultranationalist skinhead groups like the “Spas,” who killed 11 people in a 2006 bombing of a multiethnic market. The Russian government has finally stepped up to combat the problem, assisting immigrant groups and cracking down on street hoodlums. Still, the continued rise in extremist attacks is worrisome. And we can’t forget the steady tide of contract murders of journalists, bankers and other high-profile people in the city.

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Population: 254,200
Murder rate: 54 per 100,000
The capital of Papua New Guinea, little Port Moresby might seem like an odd addition to this list. But its high violent crime rates, along with alarming levels of police corruption and gang activity, helped earn the city the dubious title of “worst city” in a 2004 Economist Intelligence Unit survey. With gangs called “raskols” controlling the city centres and unemployment rates hovering around 80 percent, it’s easy to see how Port Moresby beat out the 130 other survey contenders. Visitors are advised not go out after sunset and to avoid walking in many areas even duing the day. Port Moresby’s police don’t seem to be helping the crime situation—last November, five officers were charged with offenses ranging from murder to rape. In August 2008, the city’s police barracks were put on a three-month curfew due to a recent slew of bank heists reportedly planned inside the stations by officers and their co-conspirators. Rising tensions between Chinese immigrants and native Papua New Guineans are also cause for concern, as are reports of increased activity of organized Chinese crime syndicates.

Other large cities that pose definite risks to personal safety include Lagos, Nigeria; Medellin, Colombia; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mexico City, Mexico; Kingston, Jamaica; and Johannesburg, South Africa. And what about Winnipeg? Although it may not rank among the world’s worst places, that New York travel writer may have had a valid point. The Manitoban capital posted the highest violent crime rate in Canada in 2007.

Photo Credits:

#1: toppayingideas.com

#2: abstrakedfiles.wordpress.com

#3: travelmood.com

#4: flickr.com

#5: destination360.com

#6: Torsten Blackwood (Getty Images)

Tags: Cape Town, Caracas, Cities, Moscow, New Orleans, Port Moresby, Travel Trivia

About the Author

Kerry Banks

Veteran Vancouver freelance writer and book author with 25 years experience in the publishing field.

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6 Responses to “Murderous Cities”

Bog Standard

19. Jan, 2009

“Before I get to the world’s murder rankings, it’s worth noting that Baghdad, which many would nominate as the world’s most dangerous city, is not at the top of the list. In fact, there are about a dozen American cities with a higher murder rate than Iraq’s capital”

*rolls eyes* I don’t know what Baghdad murder rate you’re looking at but it’s WAY off!

New Orleans for 2007 = 289 murders (28 per 100,000)

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/data/table_06.html

Baghdad for 2007 = 10,764 murders (161 per 100,000)

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/analysis/numbers/2007/
Kerry Banks

04. Feb, 2009

The level of violence in Iraq has been declining steadily. Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta stated recently that murder rates in the country had declined to below pre-war levels, about one per 100,000 people. Estimates of the murder rate in Baghdad over the past few years range wildly depending upon the source. However, the figures you cite are far too high. In fact, a Fox news reporter examined a number of these inflated murder tallies and discovered that people killed in automobile accidents and in clashes with American solidiers were included in the total, neither of which constitutes murder.
Bog Standard

28. Feb, 2009

Kerry, I can assure you the figures I quoted are from hostile violence – they are correct. Clashes with American soldiers are valid they’re a result of direct violence and to exclude them is fudgery.

Fox news lol, sounds real scientific. Would I be able to see your link?
Kerry Banks

04. Mar, 2009

It sounds like you don’t want to be convinced. I am going to agree to disagree.
dino jones

29. Mar, 2009

That’s the metropolitan New Orleans area murder rate
that is 28 per 100,000 not just the city of New Orleans.
As a matter of fact that 28 per 100,000 rate is still by far
the highest rate of any metro area in America.
Thomas Schneider

29. Sep, 2009

I agree with the comments here. The Girl from New York disagreed. no wonder because its not true that you find the most dangerous cities here in America. OMG does this never end? here we go ones again that the most dangerous cities are found in The US. thats defenately far away from the truth but it seems already that people want to believe that. Okay Kabul,Baghdad come away as it are cities in war countries so you cant compare that with crime but yes to your information Kerry Mogadishu is a lot more dangerous than anywhere in The USA. to your statement you can get killed for your shoes down their thats totally nonesense. I dont denie that the crime rate here is higher as in Canada or most European Countries but this article is defenately another hype up. I live in the US since nearly 3 years which included the city of your friend New York, San Diego and now Los Angeles. I live near downtown and guess what i dont get killed for my shoes i never had any incident and i use to walk their often at 1 AM and i even go to ATM Machines here. so dont tell you get killed for your shoes. like your friends i disagree with that as it is simple fact that their are much worse crime cities in the world. is this another attempt hype up for medias or what? i dont denie the crime problem and bad the areas which are in this country which you dont have in most European Countries but you exaggerate a lot. It seems that you havent been in certain other countries in this world. I dont understand as you already show here some of the most dangerous cities in the world why you dont think or come at that saying that South African,Venezuelan and some other cities of South American Countries belong to the most dangerous in the world. I agree with the later ones Lagos,Medellin,Sao Paulo,Johannesburg(this is exactly the place i wanna talk about),Caracass ,Jamaica belonging to the most dangerous ones. The Top10 you list are the most dangerous in The US but not in the world. NY or anywhere in The US doesnt compare to Joburg,Caracass,Sao Paulo,Mogadishu etc. I have lived now in both countries US and South Africa thats why i find it always funny when some peoples first choice of the most dangerous cities in the world are US Cities. South Africa is easily worse. Having lived their for a while and now for a couple of years in The US i can say compared to South Africa circumstances in American Cities are like Disneyland same with South African Friends i have here which immigrated from South African and guess why. cauz of crime and they feel like in heaven here. And even in SA i wasnt killed for my shoes and was able to walk out and it depended where to go but overall its a lot worse. in NO country in the world you are immedeately killed for your shoes. and yes you can believe your friends that you are off base and mogadishu is much much worse than any US City when it comes to street crime. do you know how bad crime in mogadishu is??? In Mogadishu as a tourist you have to get an armored vehicle with an armed guide going with you through the city if you dont have a guide but an armoured vehicle you are in danger if you have an armed guide but not an armoured car its dangerous as well so you have to have both. where in Los Angeles or NY or anywhere in The US you go you have to ride an armoured vehicle with an armed guide. Where you have to do it when oyu go in the Inner City of L.A..NY etc and even in the worst parts of The US where i have been already as well you dont have to be escorted by an armed guide. so dont run around and tell here in America are the worst cities and you get killed for shoes. This article is poor research work. In Johannesburg and Durban as example normal people often hide behind high walls,barb wire, electrical fences and even have the things which produce flames( idont know how it is called in english) in their cars to protect themselve from the criminals. noone in The US or Canada dreams of that. I like my South African Friends have been to many of these most dangerous cities in The US as well. So the next time you post something do a little bit better research work. South Africas Murder Rate as example is several times higher as the one in The US same counts for Venezuela,Brazil etc. and when it comes to because these cities are way more dangerous than any US City for being dangerous you cant just refer to murder as you listen above for violent crimes rape,robbery and aggravated assaults also are considered. for these categories SA has a lot higher rate of violent crimes as The USA they are leading for rape,carjacking,aggravated assault and nr 4 for robbery and 9 for murder rate while the US isnt even under the first 40 countries when it comes to murder rate. And as you say Media and Publicity can skew the facts thats what i expirienced and guess what this skewing is a lot higher in such countries like SA,Brazil,Venezuela,Colombia as in countries like The US. Thats why you dont even need to think to compare statistics of cities from these countries to US and Canadian Cities as they are fake as hell. In recent years these countries started to keep their statistics as low as possible. In the case of South Africa i know these already from insider information that the police has to keep the statistics as low as possible to do not scare the folk plus much less people report crime to the police as in countries like canada or america as they have much less trust into the police, additional to that if you call the police their it can happen that they even dont answer the phone, dont come to your place if you call them at the end dont register cases as well.These things are facts. I got proofs of it and that published statistics in SA in recent years are kept much lower as the reported cases. so think about how many cases of crime their are unreported plus the fact that the police has to keep them as low as possible so how many also are even unregistered. As i said have lived in both countries USA is bad yes South Africa is a lot worse. Either this is like i said bad research work or you havent been at certain places in this world. You see already that Caracas has a much higher murder rate as New Orleans and state you think the worst cities are found in The US it really sounds that this article is nothing other than a propaganda and ones again exaggeration of media. With all the people i know here from South African and some also from Brazil and Venezuela (i just can talk for South Africa havent been to the other countries) all i can say while you dramatizise so much about The US now while i say i have friends from South Africa which came to here cauz of crime go ones and live as an upper class citizen in SA surrounding yourself with an electrical fence arround your house you would cry for The US. Living in Johannesburg,Sao Paulo,Caracass.Mogadishu you would love New Orleans,Detroit or Camden where according to yourself you can get killed for shoes. so trust your friends who disagree with cauz their are for fact much more dangerous crime cities outtheir as any US City. but than i also cast doubt this American Traveler Writer even more than your statements as this person even puts a Canadian City into the most dangerous ones in the world. Canadian Cities or even NY put at one level with Caracas, Sao Paulo,Lagos and so on just gives me a laugh. To compare Canada or The US with South Africa,Venezuela,Brazil is simple crazy. with the underreporting,keeping statistics lower from the official side its not to recommend to just relie at the statistics you should ask local people from countries and cities to get a better idea of. I said before go one time and live in South Africa and you will change your mind soon and my SA Buddies will tell you the same.