Crime and Social Problems

Abstract

How America Compares offers data and analysis on an encyclopedic range of social indicators, comparing the United States with 17 other politically stable, economically affluent democracies. Occasionally, there are more global perspectives, but most of the book examines commonalities and contrasts among these advanced democracies. Perhaps surprisingly to some, crime rates generally do not seem to be rising in these societies, and there are not radical differences between them. America is distinctive, however, in having a much higher homicide rate, and deaths from guns. It also has higher imprisonment rates, and is one of two countries that retains capital punishment. The chapter also looks at suicide rates and traffic fatalities.