Report: Massachusetts most violent state in Northeast
Massachusetts retained its status as the most violent state in the Northeast, according to a report released Tuesday morning by public health advocates and based on statistics compiled by the FBI.
In its biennial report that studies health care trends in the state, the Massachusetts Health Council said approximately 30,000 violent crimes were committed in Massachusetts in 2009 or 456 violent crimes per 100,000 people, making it the highest per capita crime rate in the Northeast.
But Jay, you ask, that's simply not fair - of course Massachusetts is going to have more crime than small population centers like NH, VT, and ME! One problem:
The report looked at the six New England states, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The violent crimes include murder, manslaughter, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.
Um. NJ, NY, and PA are also included. The story then oddly delves into a discussion of health care, which didn't seem to make any sense to me - except, perhaps, to explain why more events are reported. There was this little gem, though, in the mix:
Approximately 780 gunshot wounds, an average of 15 a week, and 1,332 sharp instrument wounds assaults were reported by hospital emergency departments in the state last year.
SEE!?!?!? Gun control works! Stabbings outnumber gunshots almost two to one! Sarcasm aside, it's hard to see how anyone - and John "MA: You're more likely to live here" Rosenthal, I'm looking squarely at you - can see these statistics and not wonder why MA is so violent given the draconian gun laws in the Commonwealth. People are still people - they're still going to find ways to hurt each other even if you take all the tools off the table. All gun control does is insure more victims - but then again, to the hard core nanny staters, that's a feature, not a bug.
MA: You're more likely to be beaten, robbed, raped, or killed here.
That is all.
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