International Crime Rates. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report.

This study compared crime rates of the United States with those of other countries for whom statistics were available: European countries, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Statistics were provided by the United Nations for homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, and theft; the International Police Organization (Interpol) for homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, and auto theft, and the World Health Organization (WHO) for homicide. Based on these statistics, the rate of violent crime in the United States was found to be several times higher than the rates in other countries for which information was available. The rate of property crime in the United Staes was also higher than in the majority of these countries. Crimes of violence (homicide, rape, and robbery) were 4-9 times more frequent in the United States than they were in Europe; crimes of theft (burglary, theft, auto theft) were also more frequent, but not to the same degree. Between 1980 and 1984 the difference between crime rates for the United States and for other countries narrowed because the United States' rate decreased while other countries' rates increased. Crime rates from country to country were difficult to compare because of differences in criminal justice systems, in definitions of crime, in crime reporting practices and recordkeeping, and in methods of reporting statistics to international agencies. To reduce this variability, more than one data source was used whenever possible and European countries were averaged together, as were Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. (Twelve tables provide statistics for particular crimes in selected countries.) (ABL)