MD Among Safest States in America: Report

MARYLAND — A new analysis of crime data says Maryland is safer than half the states in the country, according to a new Forbes Advisor ranking that crunched publicly available data on violent and property crimes and the likelihood of becoming a crime victim.

Forbes pointed out in its analysis of the country’s safest and riskiest states that there are various crime types. Its ranking considers the likelihood of encountering someone who needs a criminal defense lawyer.

By those measures, New Hampshire is the safest place to live, and New Mexico is the riskiest.

Maryland ranked 25th among all states with a violent crime rate of 3.98 per 1,000 residents; a property crime rate of 16.35 per 1,000 residents; and the chances of becoming a crime victim at 1 in 251.

The Forbes ranking means the No. 1 state has the highest crime rate, while No. 50 has the lowest crime rate.

The most common type of arrest in Maryland is for simple assault. The analysis said there were 36,136 such arrests in 2022.

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Four of the five safest states are in New England, where homogenous populations, high education attainment and median incomes factor into low crime rates, Forbes said.

The five safest states, according to the ranking, are:

1. New Hampshire
2. Maine
3. Rhode Island
4. Connecticut
5. New Jersey

Conversely, the most dangerous states are:

1. New Mexico
2. Arkansas
3. Louisiana
4. Colorado
5. California

According to Forbes, New Mexico has the unenviable reputation of being the most dangerous state due to its high rates of violent and property crimes. The state’s criminal justice reforms in 2016, which led to the release of more criminal defendants before their trials, along with its high population densities and lower per capita income, are all contributing factors, the analysis found.

Poverty rates are also high in Arkansas and Louisiana. Importantly, though, Colorado and California, are among the 10 wealthiest states, indicating “crime can happen anywhere,” Forbes said.

The analysis also revealed that incidents of gun assault and carjacking have increased in recent years. However, shoplifting rates have decreased by 2 percent — likely due to the measures taken by stores to prevent shoplifting, such as restricting access to frequently stolen items, Forbes said.

While property crimes are committed more frequently, violent crime decreased overall by 1.7 percent in 2022 when compared with the prior year. Murders and cases of non-negligent manslaughter decreased by 6.1 percent.

The decrease in murder rates is noteworthy given the 30 percent spike in 2020, Forbes said, noting a firearm was used in 75 percent of those murders. During the pandemic, murders rose disproportionately among young people in disadvantaged communities, both urban and rural, Forbes said.