Who commits the most violent crime in the US?

Asked by: Allan Willms  |  Last update: May 26, 2026
Score: 5/5 (63 votes)

Among known risk factors for being convicted of a violent crime, male sex is the most prominent; men commit about 90 % of violent crimes [1, 3]. Substance abuse carries an increased risk for violent crime, both among offenders [11] and in general population samples [12–14].

Who commits the majority of violent crimes in America?

Based on the 2018 NCVS and UCR, black people accounted for 29% of violent-crime offenders and 35% of violent-crime offenders in incidents reported to police, compared to 33% of all persons arrested for violent crimes (table 2). (See Methodology for differences in how violent crimes are measured in the NCVS and UCR.)

Which ethnicity has the highest crime rate in the US?

Crime statistics. Scholars have found that some racial and ethnic minorities, particularly African-Americans, are disproportionately represented in the arrest and victimization reports which are used to compile crime rate statistics in the United States.

Who has the biggest crime rate in the US?

Alaska had the highest violent crime rate of any state in 2024, at 724.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, followed by New Mexico (717.1), Tennessee (592.3), Arkansas (579.4) and Louisiana (519.8).

Which gender commits the most violent crimes?

Men accounted for 80.4 percent of persons arrested for violent crime and 62.9 percent of those arrested for property crime.

Who's Committing the Most Violent Crimes in America?

29 related questions found

Do men commit 90% of violent crimes?

Men commit over 90% of all violent crimes. Men are also more likely to be victims of violent crime overall, with 579,000 male victims compared to 528,000 female victims in 2024.

Are most serial killers male or female?

To anyone who has ever studied crime (or even just listened to every episode of a true crime podcast), it is no surprise that most serial killers are male.

Which state is no. 1 in crime?

Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while some analyses also point to Louisiana for high murder rates or overall danger, though rankings vary slightly depending on whether violent crime, property crime, or general safety metrics are used, with data from 2024 and 2025 consistently showing Alaska and New Mexico leading in violent offenses. 

What city is the most violent in the US?

1. Memphis. Memphis has one of the highest crime rates in the country at 2,437 per 100,000 people, with assault leading the list. The city has addressed these issues through targeted policing and community engagement initiatives.

What is the #1 race for hate crimes?

The number one race targeted by hate crimes in the U.S. consistently shows Black or African American individuals, who face more race-based hate crimes than any other group, followed by anti-White and anti-Hispanic/Latino biases, according to data from the FBI and USAFacts, with reports from 2024 indicating this trend continues. 

What race has the highest victimization?

Non-Hispanic Blacks had the highest average annual rate of non-fatal violent victimization in non-bias violent crime (2768.8 per 100,000) and perceived non-race and non-ethnicity bias motivated violent crime (92.8 per 100,000).

What nationality has the highest crime?

Crime rate by country 2025: 10 countries with the highest crime...

  • 4/11. Venezuela - 80.5. ...
  • 5/11. Afghanistan - 75.2. ...
  • 6/11. South Africa - 74.6. ...
  • 7/11. Honduras - 71.9. ...
  • 8/11. Trinidad and Tobago - 71.0. ...
  • 9/11. Syria - 68.4. ...
  • 10/11. Jamaica - 67.4. ...
  • 11/11. Peru - 66.7. Peru is among the world's largest cocaine producers.

Which race has the highest conviction rate?

There are minimal racial differences in conviction rates. The percent receiving favorable dispositions is slightly higher among Black individuals regardless of prior felony conviction status. Declines to prosecute also are higher for Black and Hispanic individuals.

What is the biggest contributor to crime?

Substance Abuse. There is no debate that criminal behavior and substance abuse are linked. Eighty-five percent of the American prison population have abused drugs or alcohol. Additionally, 63-83% of individuals who are arrested for most crimes test positive for illegal drugs at the time of their arrest.

What state is #1 in crime?

Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while some analyses also point to Louisiana for high murder rates or overall danger, though rankings vary slightly depending on whether violent crime, property crime, or general safety metrics are used, with data from 2024 and 2025 consistently showing Alaska and New Mexico leading in violent offenses. 

What is the safest city in the USA?

There's no single "safest city" as rankings vary by study and criteria, but San Jose, CA often leads for large cities (SmartAsset), while Johns Creek, GA, Ridgefield, CT, and Warwick, RI, are frequently cited as top overall safe locations by U.S. News and WalletHub, focusing on crime, public health, and natural disasters. Metrics include violent/property crime, overdose deaths, vehicular fatalities, and natural disaster risk, so safety depends on the factors prioritized.
 

In what state do most murders occur?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the state with the highest murder rate in the U.S., followed closely by Louisiana, with Alabama, New Mexico, and Tennessee also frequently appearing in the top five for recent years, according to analyses of CDC and other crime data. These states often share characteristics like deep poverty and violence concentrated in specific urban areas, with high rates driven by cities like New Orleans, Birmingham, and Memphis. 

Which state is easiest on crime?

Top 10 Safest States in America

  • Idaho. ...
  • Rhode Island. ...
  • Connecticut. ...
  • New Jersey. ...
  • Kentucky. ...
  • Massachusetts. ...
  • West Virginia. ...
  • Iowa. In Iowa, the violent crime rate is 287 per 100,000 residents and the property crime rate is fine at 1,331 per 100,000 residents.

What mental disorder do serial killers usually have?

However, very few serial killers are considered mentally ill enough to be declared legally insane. Rather, the majority display signs of psychopathy or sociopathy; in terms of diagnosis, they may meet the criteria for antisocial personality disorder.

What crime do females commit the most?

Property crimes represent almost 70% of total crimes for women and around 50% for men who are in prison. The share of drug crimes and violent crimes is almost twice as high among men as among women.

Are serial killers over 90% psychopaths?

Forensic psychiatrist Michael Stone, for example, found that 91 percent of the 99 serial killers that he'd evaluated from case data would qualify as psychopaths.