Political parties and crime

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

http://houseandhome.msn.com/Move/BestandWorstCitiesforCrime.aspx

The FBI just listed off the best and worst city crime rates in the country. I was looking at the list and something dawned on me... When I mention what political party is affiliated with what state, I'm using the Presidential Election of 2000 as my basis.


Best Large Cities for Crime (More than 500,000 pop.)
New Jersey boasts three of the nation's safest and most secure cities.


1. Nassau-Suffolk, NY* (Dem state)

2. Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ (Dem State)

3. Ventura, CA (Dem State)

4. Monmouth-Ocean, NJ (Dem State)

5. Bergen-Passaic, NJ (Dem State)


Worst Large Cities for Crime

1. Tucson, AZ (Republican State)

2. Memphis, TN-AR-MS* (All Republican States)

3. Miami, FL (Republican State)

4. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ (Republican State)

5. Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR (Republican State)


Best Medium Cities for Crime (200,000-500,000 pop.)
New England seems to be an especially safe and secure region.

1. Danbury, CT (Dem state)

2. Stamford-Norwalk, CT (Dem state)

3. Johnstown, PA (Dem state)

4. Dutchess County, NY (Dem state)

5. Portsmouth-Rochester, NH-ME (One Dem, one Repug)

Worst Medium Cities for Crime
The South seems to be particularly challenged with crime.

1. Myrtle Beach, SC (Republican State)

2. Montgomery, AL (Republican State)

3. Laredo, TX (Republican State)

4. Waco, TX (Republican State)

5. Wilmington, NC (Republican State)

Best Small Cities for Crime (Less than 200,000 pop.)
1. State College, PA (Dem state)

2. Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV (Both Republican)

3. Wheeling, WV-OH* (Both Republican)

4. Pittsfield, MA* (Dem state)

5. Wausau, WI (Dem state)

Worst Small Cities for Crime
1. Topeka, KS (Republican State)

2. Pine Bluff, AR (Republican State)
Pine Bluff has a high rate of murder and the ninth-highest rate of robbery in the nation.

3. Monroe, LA* (Republican State)

4. Alexandria, LA (Republican State)

5. Florence, SC (Republican State)


Anyone notice an overwhelming trend there? Even in the few exceptions where a safe state was Republican, those are states that can easily go either way (NH, OH, and WV). Any thoughts on this?