SC has among worst crime rates in US, new report shows. Here’s where it ranks and why

A national study of FBI statistics and local government spending has found that South Carolina has the third worst crime rate based on how much money is spent on policing.

South Carolina experiences 111 crimes per $1,000 spent on police, almost double the national average of 66. The worst state was Nebraska and second was Arkansas. The best return on investment was New York.

Pre-settlement legal funding company High Rise Financial studied how effectively money spent on law enforcement deters crime, specifically violent and property crimes.

“States were ranked based on how many crimes occurred per $1,000 of government spending on police services,” the company said.

South Carolina has the ninth-highest crime rate nationally, the study found. That represents 2,920 crimes per 100,000 citizens and spends $26.2 million per 100,000 to combat crime.

The national average investment in law enforcement was $40 million.

The other states ranked were Oklahoma 4th, New Mexico 5th, Washington 6th, Louisiana 7th, Tennessee 8th, Utah 9th and Colorado 10th.

New York sees 25 crimes for every $1,000 of police spending.

This story was originally published August 2, 2024 at 6:00 AM.