Posted on 04/07/2011 12:54:17 PM PDT by ruination
In the first-ever state ranking of peace in the United States, the Institute for Economics and Peace found that Maine was the most peaceful state in the country, while Louisiana came in last.
The international think tank, which also issues an annual Global Peace Index, found that the United States is 8 percent more peaceful in 2009 than it was in 1995.
The United States Peace Index defines "peace" as the "absence of violence."
To determine the rankings, the index looked at factors including homicide rates, violent crimes, percentage of the population in jail, number of police officers and availability of small arms.
The Index also estimates the "total cost of violence" for each state which reflects the cost of correctional and policing services, judicial system and medical costs associated with violent crime and homicide, and lost productivity and wages. In Maine, that total cost per person is $656; in Louisiana it is $2,458.
Regionally, southern states were the least peaceful, and states in the northeast were the most peaceful. During the years examined, New York experienced the most significant increase in peace, because violent crime dropped as well as incarceration rates. California and Texas also had increases in peace since 1991, while North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana saw the largest declines.
The ranking also found that peace was significantly correlated to economic opportunity, education and health, but is politically neutral - neither Republican nor Democratic states had an advantage.
Top 10 most peaceful states:
1. Maine
2. New Hampshire
3. Vermont
4. Minnesota
5. North Dakota
6. Utah
7. Massachusetts
8. Rhode Island
9. Iowa
10. Washington
Top 10 least peaceful states:
1, Louisiana
2. Tennessee
3. Nevada
4. Florida
5. Alabama
6. Texas
7. Arkansas
8. Oklahoma
8. South Carolina
10. Maryland<
For the complete ranking, click here.
I would agree with that. For instance, seeing Maryland on that list. The high crime is primarily centered in Baltimore and maybe a couple of DC inner ring suburbs and that skews the statistics for the entire state which has some very nice peaceful smaller towns.
A low population density helps too.
I lived all over the country and have lived in Maine for ten years.
Having a half dozen fire arms is normal here.
Many problems are solved here without calling the county deputies.
(Also, ‘drive-by’s are really tough in a ‘noreaster.)
It’s just because Yankees are poor shots.
No correlation ?
I also recall someone shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.
All kidding aside, Maine is a beautiful state. I still remember with fondness our visit to Acadia.
We’re shootin’ for 99
I took census bureau data from 2008 for non-Hispanic white population percentage, stuck it in a spreadsheet with the peace index, then did a scatter chart. While correlation is not causation, there is no doubt that white population percentage correlated very well with a lower (more peaceful) Peace Index.
See my previous post; that profile?
See my post at #30. The scatter diagram had strong linearity.
I’m not surprised! Do you have a picture of the plot you could post?
Not surprising. The same pattern applies to cities, as well. Kudos for having the nerve to say it.
Yeeee Hawwwwwww, Louisiana #1
Oh, probably shouldn't said that.........Never mind.
The data basically confirms what one would suspect.
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