CRIME AROUND THE WORLD

Comparative statistics of crime rates around the world concluded that the world we now live in is a safer place than it used to be. The factors that affect crime levels are:
-difference in legal and criminal justice systems, -rates of crime report and police recording, -differences in the point at which a crime is measured; some countries believe it is the time when the offense is reported, others only do the recording when a suspect is identified and the papers are transferred to the prosecutor, -differences in the ruling of which multiple offenses are counted, -differences in the lost of offenses to be included in the whole crime figures. BURGLARY: As of 2000, US has lower rates than Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland and Wales. But it has higher rates than Korea, Saudi Arabia and Spain. HOMICIDE: US had been consistently high in homicide rates than most of the Western countries from 1980-2000. Though the rate was cut almost in half in the 90s, it is still higher, with the 2000 rate of 5.5 homicides per 100,000 people. RAPE: In the 80s and 90s, US rates were higher than most of the Western countries, but by 2000, Canada is leading. Rape reports are lower in Asia and the Middle East. ROBBERY: The past 2 decades saw a steady decline in the US. Countries with more reported robberies than US include England, Wales, Portugal and Spain. Those with fewer are France, Germany, Italy, Asian countries plus Middle East. In overall crimes, US ranks the highest, followed by Germany, UK, France and South Africa.