Direct Correlation

What makes me think that the list of America's most dangerous cities, recently tauted in City Crime Rankings, 14th Edition put out by CQ Press, to wit . .

Most Dangerous Cities

1) Detroit, MI
2) St. Louis, MO
3) Flint, MI
4) Oakland, CA
5) Camden, NJ
6) Birmingham, AL
7) North Charleston, SC
8) Memphis, TN
9) Richmond, CA
10)Cleveland, OH

. . correlates with the cities with the highest proportional black population?

In fact, a smattering of (unverified) data suggest that . .

Blacks are 82% of population in Detroit
Blacks are 51% of population in St. Louis
Blacks are 53% of population in Flint
Blacks are 53% of population in Camden
Blacks are 74% of population in Birmingham
Blacks are 61% of population in Memphis
Blacks are 51% of of population in Cleveland

It doesn't seem to be the whole story, as some towns that made the top ten don't have a majority black population, and some towns that do didn't make the list (the rankings of which rely heavily on a private assessment of danger).

Considering other rankings, though, and the general tendencies, you might have to say we have an ethnic crime problem in the U.S. more than just a general crime problem. I recall an article a few years ago in The Economist saying that if you eliminate non-white statistics (meaning Hispanic and black, at least), the New York City murder rate can be likened to that of Europe.

The Economist gave itself the permission to speak the truth on this important matter, and without getting to the underlying truth about a problem no solution is possible.