Arkansas has, for years, had problems with its crime rates, which are some of the highest in the United States. In fact, the state has an average crime rate that is double the crime rate of the entire country. There has always been a strong correlation between crime and poverty rates, which we get a strong sense of in Arkansas. It is a state with a fairly high poverty rate, higher than the national poverty rate, and we see how it influences crime in the state. Let’s explore the Arkansas crime rate by city.
It is difficult to say with complete certainty which city is the most dangerous or the safest in Arkansas, but there are several cities that are at the top of the list for both.
The accuracy of these numbers is heavily dependent on the number of crimes that get reported in a city, and that is then compared to the population of that city. There are some smaller towns that have comparably high crime rates and, in some cases, very high rates for the number of residents. It could be argued that, in these small towns, crime gets reported more frequently than in larger cities.
Although it is known that economics and education often contribute to high crime rates, in some of these Arkansas cities with high crime, those two factors don’t seem to contribute as much as in other cities with similar crime rates.
While the entire state has a high crime rate, there are specific cities that are deemed unsafe or dangerous because of their respective crime rates per 1,000 residents:
Although Arkansas as a state has a very high crime rate compared to most other states in the country, there are still several cities and towns that have low crime rates per 1,000 people, compared to the rest of the state and the country.
A: Although it has a very low population, Osceola, AR, is one of the top few cities in Arkansas with the highest reported crime rate compared to its population size. This could be due to the high poverty rate in the small city. Despite the efforts of citizens and law enforcement, the crime rate remains a big problem.
A: One of the top few cities in Arkansas that has the lowest reported crime rate is Bella Vista, AR. Many residents of the city feel a great sense of security living in Bella Vista since crime is nearly nonexistent. It is arguably one of the safest cities to live in Arkansas.
A: Little Rock, AR, ranks fairly high amongst the most dangerous cities in Arkansas and in the United States as a whole. It is arguable that Little Rock is the most dangerous city in Arkansas, and it is in the top three most dangerous cities in the U.S. as well. With such a large population, rates of violent crime and property crime are high.
A: In most places, there is a direct correlation between crime rate and the socioeconomic status of residents, not to mention education levels. Arkansas is one of the many states in the U.S. where a large part of the population is living in poverty. Therefore, the crime rate in the state is very high.
If you have been charged with a crime in the state of Arkansas, contact Lemley Law Partners to speak with one of our skilled attorneys. We are here to help you and address any concerns you may have.