The Nation - News from April 24, 1989

Miami Beach, Fla., for the first time led the nation’s largest cities in per capita overall serious crime, according to a newspaper’s copyright computer analysis of FBI statistics. The Detroit Free Press said Miami Beach recorded 17,617 crimes per 100,000 residents in 1988--a 25% jump from 1987. Last year, the city ranked 12th overall. Atlanta was second in overall serious crimes with 17,611.6 crimes per 100,000 population. Portland, Ore., was third with a rate of 17,565.6, followed by last year’s leader Ft. Worth, with 17,240.4. Dramatic increases in burglary (31.4%) and larceny (24.1%) were responsible for Miami Beach’s No. 1 ranking. In other statistics, Pomona, Calif., had the highest arson rate at 627.6 per 100,000 population.