Why is the homicide rate higher in the U.S. than it is in other western countries?

Question

Any sources would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The American economic model give way to high amounts of stress and poverty. Oppression leads to helplessness, helplessness leads to anger, anger leads to deviation.

Answer 2

Our criminal justice system is flawed.

1. It takes too long for a case to get to trail and get through the process. Therefore, there is no immediate punishment for the crime.

2. In too many cases people are let off with lighter sentences because of technicalities or overcrowding of prisons or they are being released early.

3. Perpetrators have more rights than victims.

4. Perpetrators have too many rights in prison. It is no longer "hard time".

5. Money talks. You see people get off on technicalities because they have a good attorney. It lessens the perceived risk of going to prison.

6. Law enforcement is limited in what they can do to solve a crime because of he rights of the perpetrator.

In summary our justice is not swift and sure as in most other countries. Their punishments are usually harsher than what we have in our bleeding heart society. When someone is deciding to commit a crime they weigh the risks and if they think their is a good chance they either won't get caught or can get "off" the reward outweighs the risk.

As for those who will say it is the right to bear arms - most guns that are used in crimes are gotten illegally. The criminals will still have guns even if they would abolish the right to bear arms.

Answer 3

To hear Michael Moore tell it, the only reason the homicide rate is so high here is because of the ready availability of handguns. That is one reason, but it's not the only reason. Some other reasons are: Glamorization of murder on TV, in movies, and in music (particularly rap), the American justice system -- which is getting softer and softer on violent crime thanks to the liberals, and the lack of enforcement of gun control laws we already have on the books. You could also make a very strong argument that the no-holds-barred attack on Christianity in this country is producing people who don't have any morals, scruples, human conscience, etc.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, the punishments handed out by the judicial system are not in keeping with the scope of the crime. Not only for homocide, but other crimes as well. With the court dockets backed up as they are, plea bargains are easy to come by. The other nations you refer to have such severe punishment for crimes that they act as a deterent for criminals and hold down the crime rate. We should do the same thing here.

Answer 5

Because people want to be tough and cool, and we don't have manners so we disrespect everyone, we jump to conclusions and judge people based on looks. We are primitive, closed minded, selfish, prideful, drunken, high, sex crazed, trigger happy, violence loving, depressed, mentally ill, malnourished, non-family oriented, out of touched, racist, bigoted, ignorant, illiterate, uneducated, biased, narcissistic, self assuming, inconsiderate, non polite, apathetic individuals. Read it weep 2 timothy 3:1-5

Answer 6

that rate fluctuates.. some years it's the US.. some years it's not.. but, the US will remain near the top for a couple of reasons.. 1) the right to bear arms 2) our population 3) we are bombarded with what we don't have, and some people just can't handle that.. and if you don't have much moral aptitude to begin with, that's when you're faced with robberies, car jackings, etc etc.. there's really not just ONE reason. never is..

Answer 7

Because we have a bigger population than other countries have. More people=more scumbags. Our courts are also to blame, In other countries they kill murderers immediately. Here we put them in jail for about five years and then let them out so they can kill again.

Answer 8

We have a wider gap between rich and poor than any other industrialized country.

The friction between the two extremes means a lot of peole spend a lot of time really pissed off at things beyond their control. Eventually, a lot of these people lash out.

Now, why the bigger gap is a matter up for debate.

Answer 9

Wow. You are going to get a lot of answers that say it is because we have the right to bear arms. But before that can be used as the reason, let me just point out 1)Right to bear arms is our constitutional right. 2) Criminals will always be able to get guns, if owning a gun became illegal then the rest of us would be helpless, sitting ducks.

Answer 10

In America, violence is a socially acceptable form of social interaction. Also, the rights of the individual are more protected in the U.S. while other cultures aim at protecting social cohesion and the rights of society as a whole.

Answer 11

All of the posters above are correct in my opinion, to a greater or lesser degree...

widespread personal use of guns
legal right to have guns
illegal sale and trade of guns
POVERTY (linked with crime everywhere)
materialism
subcultures of violence
use of violence as a solution
moral decline
problems with punishment for homicide
etc.

for me the question is WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

I am for PREVENTION of any and all crimes, not just the PUNISHMENT after the fact (where our society is geared).