Crime: The Real Story
The facts about crime in the United States may surprise you. Serious crime isn't going away.

Crime by Region
The Crime Index Rate in 1997 in the South was 5,547 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants; in the West, 5,335; in the Midwest, 4,572; and in the Northeast, 3,734.

Crime in Metro Areas
In 1997, the nation's metropolitan areas recorded a Crime Index rate of 5,325 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants; cities outside

metropolitan areas recorded 5,207 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants; and in rural counties, 2,064 

per 100,000 inhabitants.