NCJ Number
164042
Journal
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (1996) Pages: 7-35
Date Published
1996
Length
29 pages
Annotation
Based on data analysis, this study examines whether the United States is more crime-ridden than Europe.
Abstract
The study makes several distribution, level, and trend comparisons. It first briefly describes global, long-term developments in crime trends in the United States and Europe. This is followed by an overview of relatively recent (1988-91) crime distribution figures and crime levels in the United States and selected European Nations, based on comparative police data and the International Criminal Victimization Survey of 1993. The article then provides a more in-depth discussion of major developments in U.S. criminality, followed by a report on the most recent trends in criminality on both sides of the Atlantic. The emphasis is on comparisons between Western Europe and the United States. Because of an absence of reliable comparative crime data, recent developments in criminality in Eastern and Central Europe are briefly mentioned. The final section summarizes the main conclusions about developments in criminality on both continents. The author concludes that the United States differs from Europe in the faster pace of the growth in violent crime in the United States after the 1960's; however, unlike the situation in several European countries, particularly Eastern and Central Europe, serious crime in the United States has stabilized over the last few years. Also, the violence/theft ratio in the United States is higher (approximately 12 percent) than in Western Europe. Further, there are significantly more cases of gun-related violence in the United States than in any European country; on the other hand, the United States has lower car theft and burglary rates than several European countries. Similarities in crime in the United States and Europe are also noted. 5 figures, 4 tables, and 45 references