The following cities have historically been "ranked" by various publications as among the most dangerous: Detroit, Saint Louis, Cleveland, Rockford (IL), Milwaukee, Oakland, Compton, Gary (IN), Atlanta, Phoenix.
Washington DC is a very dangerous city, one of the most. Some area of DC are not to bad, but mostly there is a lot of crime and violence. Gary, Indiana is also one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. Due to the low level of income, many people there are forced into a life of crime.