Several studies that look at the rate of violent crimes per person have named Louisiana the most risky state in the United States. But which Louisiana town is the worst of the worst? You might be surprised by the answer.
Louisiana’s Most Dangerous Town
Safety Gauge, a website that rates crime, says that Bessemer, a small suburb of Birmingham, Alabama in the southwest, is the most dangerous town in Louisiana. You read that right. Even though Bessemer is in Alabama, it is part of the Louisiana urban area, which includes cities from more than one state.
Bessemer had the highest crime rate of any town with 25,000 or more people on the list of the 100 worst places to live in America. The study looked at violent crime statistics from all 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the US for each town. The statistics are broken down by 1,000 people to show how common each crime is.
According to the study, people who live in Bessemer have a 30% chance of being a victim of a serious crime. The suburb has about 27,000 people, so it has a much higher crime rate than other places with a similar mix of people. Along with auto theft, it got the top spot for violent crimes, property crimes, and violent crimes.
How Bessemer Got to Be the Safest Place to Live in the US
There have been many economic and social problems in Bessemer over the years, which has led to a high crime rate. The town used to be a bustling industrial hub that made steel and iron for the whole country. But as the industrial sector declined in the late 20th century, many people lost their jobs and became poor.
Bessemer also has racial and political problems because most of the people who live there are African American and the town has a history of violence and civil rights action. Racist events have happened in the town before, like when Rev. James Reeb was killed in 1968, when the Ku Klux Klan bombed a black church in 1979, and when a white police officer shot and killed a black man in 2019.
The local government in Bessemer has also had problems with cheating and bad management, which has made it harder to provide good public services and keep people safe. There have been several scams in the town involving its mayors, council members, and police chiefs. These people have been charged with fraud, bribery, extortion, and power abuse.
What Bessemer is Doing to Make Things Better for Itself
Bessemer is not giving up on its future, even though it has a bad name. People in the town have been working to improve the society, economy, and infrastructure. Some of the things that Bessemer has done are the following:
Getting new investments and companies to come in, like the Amazon fulfillment center that opened in 2020 and created over 1,500 jobs.
Getting better at education, like the Bessemer City Schools, which got a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Education in 2021 to start a STEM program.
Adding more cultural and fun things to do, like the Alabama Splash Adventure, a famous water park and amusement park, and the Bessemer Hall of History, which shows off the town’s rich history.
Getting rid of crime, like the Bessemer Police Department, which has boosted patrols, surveillance, and community outreach, and the Bessemer Crime Stoppers program, which pays tips that lead to arrests.
In Conclusion
A new study from Security Gauge says that Bessemer, Louisiana, is the most dangerous town in the United States. The town has a lot of dangerous crimes because it has problems with its economy, society, and government. Bessemer is trying hard to make things better and live a better life, so it’s not hopeless. Even though Bessemer is the most dangerous town in Louisiana, it is also a town with a lot of promise and strength.