Tallahassee One of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in the U.S.?

October 17, 2011 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Theft/Property Crimes, Violent Crimes Social Share

Forbes recently unveiled its list of this year’s top dangerous American cities. Many Tallahassee residents were shocked to find their city on the list, much less in the number eight position.

Other cities flagged as dangerous by the closely-read Forbes lists include Memphis, Tennessee; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Flint, Michigan. When asked to explain its rationale for Tallahassee’s appearance on the list, Forbes cited the city’s high rate of poverty and close proximity to the I-10, a much-desired location for the drug industry.

According to the Uniform Statistical Data compiled by the FBI and used by Forbes in this study, the likelihood of a person becoming a victim of a violent crime or property crime is high. Violent crimes in this study include forcible rape, murder, non-negligent manslaughter, aggravated assault, and robbery.

One in 87 people is victims of violent crime in Tallahassee. As for property crime, the FBI defines this as theft over $50, burglary, auto theft, and arson. The chances of being a victim of this type of crime are much higher with a rate of one in 17. The Leon County Sheriff, Larry Campbell, takes offense to the Forbes list.

The Sheriff recently told the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper that the Forbes rankings were skewed. He further commented that the FBI figures included, not just the city of Tallahassee, but the metropolitan statistical area as well. Additionally, the FBI’s Uniform Statistical Data used to determine these rankings by Forbes was never meant to categorize or rank cities in such a way.

Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones also commented that Tallahassee crime rates have gone done by 17 percent over the past 10 years. While many Tallahassee locals and tourists remain doubtful about this dubious distinction, it may not be quite as far of a stretch as it seems.

At the very least, it may be a sign that Tallahassee does have issues that need to be addressed and maybe the local government and law enforcement will pay them proper attention. 

The local law firm, founded by a former law enforcement officer and prosecutor, has represented clients who are in desperate need of a Tallahassee criminal defense attorney to avoid the serious consequences of conviction.

Given the diversity of Tallahassee’s residents, this includes clients from every walk of life and throughout the city’s metropolitan area. If you have been arrested for a violent or property crime in Tallahassee, it’s critical to consider your legal options.

A defense attorney can help defend your constitutional rights and fight for favorable outcomes such as case dismissal, minimized charges, not-guilty verdicts, lowered sentencing, and other favorable options. With what you stand to potentially lose, it’s important to get the help you need today to avoid unfortunate outcomes and becoming another number in the FBI’s list of crime statistics.

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