The Hill News

Today (April 24), the Institute for Economics and Peace released the second annual U.S. Peace Index, which assesses America’s peacefulness at the state and city levels and analyzes the costs associated with violence and the socio-economic measures associated with peace.
 
So just how peaceful is America?  

It may come as a surprise but over the past 20 years, America has become substantially more peaceful, witnessing a significant and sustained reduction in direct violence.  Homicide rates in the U.S. have halved since 1991 and the violent crime rate has also fallen by nearly half during the same period. The state level trends are also very encouraging. 42 states reduced their violent crime rates, and 13 out of 16 Southern states increased their peacefulness.

As the only statistical analysis that offers a comprehensive nation-wide measurement of crime and its costs to the 50 states, the U.S. Peace Index is based on analysis of! homicide, violent crime, policing, incarceration rates and availability of small arms data. With improvements in all five of these indicators from the 2011 to the 2012 USPI, the U.S. was found to be more peaceful than at any time since 1991.

Which part of America is most and least peaceful?

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