The study by Morgan Quinto Press measures individual crimes in cities and compares them with national averages to compile a city's ranking. In 2005, Cleveland's murder rate increased 33% over 2004. Auto thefts increased 20% and robberies rose 13%. However, incidents of rape are on the decline. Nationally, crime rates grew by an average of 5% or less.
Geoff Mearns, dean of Cleveland State University's Law School, says a single cause for the rise in crime, such as the economy, drug use or policing strategies may be hard to pin down since the data used is a few years old.
Geoff Mearns: Causes might have occurred years before...
The top three most dangerous cities in the report are St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Lisa Ann Pinkerton, 90.3.