‘U.S. Peace Index’ finds most violence in conservative southern states

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By David Edwards

Southern states are more violent than any region, according to a recently released crime index created with U.S. government statistics.

The Institute for Economics and Peace said the index was their first U.S. Peace Index, and pulled from data compiled by compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the FBI, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Louisiana came in dead last, while Maine came in first.

A list of the top ten least-peaceful states follows:

1. Louisiana
2. Tennessee
3. Nevada
4. Florida
5. Alabama
6. Texas
7. Arkansas
8. Oklahoma
9. South Carolina
10. Maryland

Here are the top ten most-peaceful states:

1. Maine
2. New Hampshire
3. Vermont
4. Minnesota
5. North Dakota
6. Utah
7. Massachusetts
8. Rhode Island
9. Iowa
10. Washington

Read more at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/08/u-s-peace-index-finds-most-violence-in-conservative-southern-states/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Doesn't surprise me after reading the local (state) paper here for the last 19 years.

[xchrom]

2. recommend

[Drale]

3. Doesn't surprise me one bit

You keep your population stupid and they are going to be more prone to use violence to solve their problems.

[Javaman]

4. Which states continually vote against their own best interests?

I would love to see that compared and contrasted against that poll.

I think we know that answer.

[hfojvt]

5. looking at that list

it appears that one of the keys to peace is a long harsh winter that will keep people indoors for six months of the year

1. Maine
2. New Hampshire
3. Vermont
4. Minnesota
5. North Dakota

vs.

1. Louisiana
2. Tennessee
3. Nevada
4. Florida
5. Alabama


Hot weather leads to hot tempers. Plus when Mother Nature is already trying to kill you (with cold and snow), you tend to huddle together for protection.

[Kolesar]

6. Violence in the states where they beat children in schools, imagine that

Beatings teach children that violence is acceptable.

[LeftinOH]

7. I blame it partly on the weather; some of those 'peaceful' states have long

brutal winters =e.g. people are somewhat more likely to remain indoors just trying to keep warm. The oppressive heat and humidity in Florida, however, is enough to drive lots of people to homicidal rage (me, anyways).

[former9thward]

8. Utterly useless and probably incorrect.

They give no definition whatsoever of the "peace index". They just say it come from statistics of the FBI, DOJ and CDC. But they don't say what those statistics are and how they put them together or why they put them together in whatever form. All of the cities with high numbers of murders are in the north. But I guess that is not part of their "peace index".

[Horse with no Name]

9. I attribute it to organized religion

preaching hate from the pulpit (now I realize it is not every church in every state) but I can say that where I live in Texas--there is about 1 church for every 200 people.

The MAJORITY of them foment hatred of gays, hatred of sex, hatred of any other origin except Caucasian, hatred of Democrats, hatred of abortion, etc.

When you preach hatred from the pulpit--and preach that it is GOD'S will that these things not be allowed in society...then you end up with violence. Pure and simple.