Why is the crime rate so much higher in the USA than other countries?

Question

Why are we more violent?

Answer 1

There are a lot of factors (television, video games, movies, killing ppl from an unjustified war, etc...) but I am going to go over what I believe the core of it is:

I think it has to do with being raised from birth in a capitalist society. I mean seriously. For example, when you explain communism to ppl, most Americans agree it is a much more equal, fair and righteous way to live BUT they always follow up with saying, 'it will never work.' If you ask them why, they say, 'because of human nature to always want to have more based on a person valuing themself as smarter etc... more elite than others who are less intelligent, weaker or whom have made costly mistakes.'

Stay with me on this....

The reason they always come back with that statement is because they have been taught from birth to think in terms of 'self'. Capitalism teaches you that. It teaches you to take whatever you can from society. It rewards the 'haves' over the 'have nots' no matter how the 'haves't acquired their wealth. IE, 80% of the rich in the USA was inherited and not earned.

So you see, since we are taught this from birth, we live and thrive on 'self' accomplishments where the success scale is based on how much money you have.

Ok now.. still with me?
The reason this mentality results in pessimism is because most ppl, while they on the surface live this way, in the back of their minds they wish it wasn't true. They see inequalities around them everyday with the Donald Trumps, etc...

So, the average American whom has experienced the greed that is bred out of capitalism, develops a mentality of 'failure in humanity'.

Now if you ask them why they feel this way, they won't have an exact answer. Why? Because most have no clue that this is what is going on in the back of their subconscious. Most ppl lack the ability to take themselves out of what they have been taught from birth and then put themself in a different culture.. they lack the imagination and insight unfortunately.

Ok with all that said, you will never get a sense of community from a core capitalist society. That is like oil and water. Why? You have to understand that capitalism teaches competition from birth.. that everything in life is a competition and when we watch all around us breaking the rules to win over and over again, we begin to make excuses for our own corruption to win. Example, the small business owner who gives kickbacks to win a job bid.

And lastly, the violence. When a society is grown, molded, and bred around 'self' it develops a extreme level of apathy and once again.. don't forget competition...

When you combine competition with apathy what do you get? = a cruel opponent that will try to win at all cost.

Final result = violence without thought of consequence with an idea that it is deserved or even the right way to obtain you goal.

Answer 2

Actually, if you look at statistics, there are a lot of other countries out there with REALLY high crime rates... you can't travel certain places as a westerner because of the high risk of kidnap, rape, etc.

I think that the government's lack of support for the people plays a huge part- for instance, not having a medicare system means that people have to pay huge amounts for minor injuries and illnesses- a lot of people can't afford this AND supporting a family, so they have to resort to crime to pay for themselves.

Also, a lack of acceptance with the multiculturalism in the US by a lot of people- the discrimination results in an alienated feeling from many, which results in rebellion.

I think that, as a culture the US focuses a lot on material posessions and money (not saying every person, but the media pays great attention to it all)- perhaps more so than other western countries- being raised in a country where the government so condones aggression with the constant wars, bombings, scandal, etc. brings kids up with poor rolemodels.

I really think a lot of it comes down to US politics and government.

It's not to do with violent movies, music or a violent history- not to do with population (look at other countries in the world that have all of these EXACT things without such a high crime rate).

Just as the government is unsupportive of people in other countries that are high in crime, the US government does not take care of its own people, but focuses its energy on being the 'saviour' of all the other countries.

Answer 3

Because the laws provide for "rights" for criminals. You have to be PROVEN guilty. Then, if guilty, you are sent to a prison where you can get a roof over your head, cable tv, 3 meals a day.. etc.

Years ago jails could have no heat or hot water, no tv, etc. Then civil rights groups took up the cause for prisoners. Now it isn't so scary to go to jail.

Many times criminals just get away with their crime. Witness are afraid to step forward and testify.

And I am sure that there are probably just as much crime in other countries, (the USA isn't the only place with drugs, and people that would rather rob & steal over working for a living) But we don't see these crimes reported every night on the news.

Answer 4

We're not actually higher in crime rates compared to many nations, but compared to most Western, industrialized nations, we have several issues. We have a very varied population with centers of poverty rather than some nations with a more homogeneous population that tend to have nearly 100% literacy and graduation rate. We have a break-down of the family unit so that young men aren't getting the guidance they need and they're finding gangs the next best substitute. We take a lax attitude toward crime and don't punish as severely as many nations, so criminals repeat. We have far too many illegal weapons available on our streets, and drugs are rampant. We are more concerned sometimes with the rights of the criminal than the rights of the victim.

If we removed drugs as an influence, you'd see an immediate turn-around of our culture and society.

Answer 5

Lots of drugs. Lots of people who don't want to get an education or work. Lots of families with no father figure.

VIOLENT crime is the major problem. Need to catch the violent criminals, take them off the streets, and KEEP them off the streets. PROJECT EXILE is good, started long ago in Richmond, Virginia with strong support from the National Rifle Association. Anyone convicted of crime with a firearm gets a five year ADDITIONAL MANDATORY sentence, without parole.

Answer 6

The biggest factor is median age of population for all western countries to answer one aspect of the number part of your question, Crime pays well on all sides. At one time heard the USA has a wild west mentality, but for civilian population don't know if this cauterization still applies. For military believe it does.

Answer 7

Because we are more developed.

More crimes are reported and recorded here because we have the resources to do it.

Also, since we are more developed, we have more laws on the books than most countries, and more things can be "criminal".

I think if we repealed all the "pre-emptive" or "second-guessing" laws; I dunno what you call 'em but they're the laws that exist not because what they prohibit is bad, but because what they prohibit may possibly make it easier to break ANOTHER law which is against something that's actually bad.

Like when you make a law against owning a gun because you "might" shoot someone, or a law against smoking a joint because you "might" get reefer madness and axe-murder your family (yeah that's EXACTLY what I did last night when I sat in on a joint subcommittee session...jeez), or A LAW AGAINST TAKING A CUP OF WATER OUTSIDE A BAR BECAUSE IT "MIGHT" BE VODKA!

People would respect the law more if there were simply laws against shooting people, axe-murdering families, and taking vodka outside a bar. Better yet, how about letting people drink vodka wherever they want, and having REAL penalties for those who commit actual CRIMES while drunk!

Answer 8

One reason is our criminal courts and sentencing guidelines are a joke, and our prisons sometimes seem closer to country clubs than they are to true institutions intended to punish criminals for wrongdoing. We need some nasty punishment, not rehab. Give Johnny 5 years for stealing a car and bunk him with his roommate "Bubba", and he may think twice about stealing a car again.

Time to get tough on crime (especially violent crime).

Answer 9

We don't tolerate crime too well and so we prosecute to the full extent of the U.S. law, no matter what the crime. Other countries don't necessarily have the legal system we do and, thus, don't report crime as much as our citizens do.

Answer 10

I think it's because a stark contrast has developed between the rich and the poor. Often times, the poor have few opportunities to move up in the world, and turn to crime instead.