The Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in America is a list compiled and published by Alarms.org in response to the shooting at a Parkland, Florida school. When the list was initially published in 2018, 11 Florida cities were included in the top 100—across Florida, particularly on the Atlantic Coast, news media and citizens alike reacted strongly to being labeled “dangerous”, claiming that it did not accurately reflect their city.
As of 2020, the list has been updated and the number of Florida cities has dropped from 11 to 5, indicating a drop in Florida’s overall violent crime rate. Florida cities no longer on the list include Belle Glade and Lake Worth.
5 Most Dangerous Florida Cities by Violent Crime Rate
So, where do Florida cities rank on the list of the 100 most dangerous cities in the US? According to the data, which ranks each city based on its violent crime rate, the following Florida cities made the list:
#88. Daytona Beach
Violent crime rate per 1,000: 11.07098455
#65. Cocoa
Violent crime rate per 1,000: 11.99014509
#37. Riviera Beach
Violent crime rate per 1,000: 13.6958536
#10. Opa Locka
Violent crime rate per 1,000: 19.49844012
#3. Florida City
Violent crime rate per 1,000: 22.75890299
Response from Florida Cities Included in the List
Although the report acknowledges the dip in violent crime, the media in some Florida cities took umbrage at being included at all. A television station in West Palm Beach, WPTV, pointed out that the statistics used to compile the “Most Dangerous Cities” list were four years old. Noting that three of the cities on the list were in Palm Beach County – Belle Glade, Lake Worth and Riviera Beach – WPTV gathered its own statistics from local law enforcement agencies.
People in the city of Cocoa, Florida – which was originally ranked as the 11th most dangerous city in America, according to Alarms.org, but now ranks #65 – also objected to its inclusion on the list. News 13 Orlando interviewed citizens who said that the stats used to compile the list do not paint a true portrait of the city and the strides it’s made toward reducing violent crime. Cocoa’s police chief also pointed out the age of the data that Alarms.org used to compile its list of dangerous cities.
While no Tampa-area cities were included on the list, violent crime is still a regular occurrence in the region, as it is in any major metropolitan area.
Violent Crime is More Complex Than Statistics Can Show
Despite what the numbers show, violent crimes are not always so cut-and-dried. There may be extenuating circumstances, such as self-defense, that are not immediately apparent to investigators. For this reason, anyone who has been arrested on suspicion of committing a violent crime should immediately contact an experienced criminal defense attorney.
For more than 25 years, Mike G Law has defended Tampa residents accused of violent crimes, drug crimes, and more—call 813-221-4303 or contact us online to request a free legal consultation.