Danger Will Robinson! America’s Most Dangerous Cities – Dave’s Diary

As they used to say on the TV show Hill Street Blues…”Let’s be careful out there”. Perhaps the best step in that process is to choose carefully where you go in the first place.  24/7 Wall St. reports the number of violent crimes rose 1.2 percent nationwide in 2012--the first increase after five consecutive years of decreasing crimes. And that increase was even greater in some of America's biggest cities.

Using 2012 data published by the FBI in the FBI Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. ranked American cities based on the frequency of violent crimes, including murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

With just two located west of the Mississippi river (California-go figure!)

, here are the top 10 most dangerous U.S. cities:

1. Flint, Michigan
Violent crimes per 100,000: 2,729.5
Population: 101,632
2012 murders: 63
Poverty rate: 40.6 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 82.9 percent

2. Detroit, Michigan
Violent crimes per 100,000: 2,122.6
Population: 707,096
2012 murders: 386
Poverty rate: 40.9 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 77.4 percent

3. Oakland, California
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,993.1
Population: 399,487
2012 murders: 126
Poverty rate: 21 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 79.9 percent

4. St. Louis, Missouri
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,776.5
Population: 318,667
2012 murders: 113
Poverty rate: 27 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 83.9 percent

5. Memphis, Tennessee
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,750
Population: 657,436
2012 murders: 133
Poverty rate: 27.2 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 83.4 percent

6. Stockton, California
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,548
Population: 299,105
2012 murders: 71
Poverty rate: 25.8 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 75.1 percent

7. Birmingham, Alabama
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,517.8
Population: 213,266
2012 murders: 67
Poverty rate: 32 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 81.3 percent

8. New Haven, Connecticut
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,439.2
Population: 129,934
2012 murders: 17
Poverty rate: 30.1 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 78.4 percent

9. Baltimore, Maryland
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,405.7
Population: 625,474
2012 murders: 219
Poverty rate: 25.1 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 80.5 percent

10. Cleveland, Ohio
Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,383.8
Population: 393,781
2012 murders: 84
Poverty rate: 34.3 percent
Percent of adults with high-school diploma: 77 percent