The FBI recently released its Uniform Crime Report for 2003. The number of murders in the United States increased slightly from 16,229 to 16,503. Once again, the South had the highest murder rate (6.9 murders per 100,000 people). In 2003, the South carried out 89% of the executions in the country. The Northeast had the lowest murder rate in the country (4.2 murders per 100,000 people) and carried out no executions in 2003. (2003 FBI Uniform Crime Report, October 27, 2004 (execution numbers from DPIC)). Read the report. See Deterrence.


2003 MURDER RATE BY REGION
(per 100,000 people)

UNITED STATES
5.7
NORTHEAST
4.2
MIDWEST
4.9
SOUTH
6.9
WEST
5.7