The illusion of small-town safety is cracking under the weight of economic struggle and quiet desperation.
Picket fences and friendly neighbors don’t always tell the whole story. While most Americans picture small towns as safe havens from big-city crime, the National Institutes of Health recognizes that socioeconomic factors like economic disadvantage and high unemployment contribute to increased violent crime in communities, including smaller ones, by fueling frustration and a lack of opportunity.
Financial difficulty, overstrained police resources, and mounting drug-related violence have transformed some small towns into unexpected areas of danger.
Bessemer, Alabama: The Unlikely Leader
Bessemer, Alabama, has a violent crime rate of 33.18 incidents per 1,000 residents, according to…