Those cities are graphic proof of what may happen and every one of those examples are true.
bookmarked
According to U.S. News and World Report, the most dangerous city in the United States is St. Louis.
If you have a death wish, just wander around the streets of East St. Louis at night.
Note "East St. Louis" is actually in Illinois.
And has been a noted hellhole for at least 40 years.
Oakland, California made the list.
Sad but not surprising.
Life is very cheap in some Oakland neighborhoods.