Crimes/guns argument

[warpedskydiver 0]

The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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Americans see less crime than Britons, Canadians
By Jennifer Harper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published February 9, 2006

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Historians, world leaders and assorted pundits with Yankee bashing in mind have long cultivated the idea that America is a violent place.
Not so, says Gallup, which released a report yesterday revealing that the nation is not necessarily Dodge City: The impact of crime is lower in the U.S. than in Britain, and in many cases Canada.
"The U.S. is often seen from abroad as a relatively lawless society, with murders and gun-related crimes aplenty. But a series of Gallup surveys in Great Britain, Canada and the U.S. suggest the image is somewhat distorted," noted David W. Moore of the Gallup News Service.
It's close, but the United States emerged as the least crime-ridden.
In three polls of 3,025 persons -- about 1,000 in each country -- 32 percent of the Americans said they or someone in their households had been a victim of crime of some type within the previous year. Among Canadians, the figure was 33 percent; among Britons, 36 percent.
About 71 percent of both Canadians and Britons, compared with 67 percent of Americans, said there had been more crime in their respective countries in the previous 12 months.
Gallup also asked respondents whether they had been mugged, assaulted or had property stolen, among five other unpleasant experiences. Overall, Britain proved the most dangerous, with a quarter of the respondents reporting that they or a family member had been a victim of crime. Canada and the United States were tied at 21 percent.
On specific crimes, 22 percent of the British reported their home, car or property had been vandalized. The figure was 17 percent among Canadians and 15 percent among Americans.
About 7 percent of the Britons said they had been mugged or physically assaulted; the number was 4 percent for both Canadians and Americans. Car theft was higher in Britain as well, with 5 percent reporting the crime, compared with 3 percent of Canadians and 2 percent of Americans.
Americans had experienced the most home computer or Internet-based fraud, with 8 percent reporting it; the number was 7 percent among British respondents and 6 percent among Canadians.
Canadians had the highest incidence of money or property stolen, with 17 percent reporting it. Among Americans, it was 16 percent; among British, 13 percent. The countries tied in sexual assaults (1 percent in all three), strong-arm robbery (2 percent) and home break-ins (4 percent).
Meanwhile, 45 percent of Britons said they lived within a mile of an area where they were afraid to walk alone at night. The figure was 38 percent among Americans and 35 percent among Canadians.
Forty-two percent of British respondents said they had considerable confidence in their police to protect them from violent crime. Among Canadians, the figure was 67 percent; among Americans, 53 percent.
The surveys were conducted between October 13 and December 20 last year.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

did the survey indicate in which geographical areas in each country respondents were contacted?

[warpedskydiver 0]

not that I could find, after I get back from the VA hospital today I will research it

[SkyDekker 1,465]

Good luck at the hospital...hope all is well!

[kallend 2,148]

For the umpteenth time:

According to the US DoJ, the FBI, The UK Home Office, and numerous other authoritative bodies, the only crimes that can properly be compared between nations are homicides, because reporting requiriments, definitions, etc., are pretty standard for homicides and they hardly ever go unreported.

Also, this entire article is silly because it does not differentiate between urban and rural areas, where crime rates are very different in all countries.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

without a specific statement that geographical areas were similar in all three countries, the stats in the article are completely bogus.

[kelpdiver 2]

haha - watch the wagons circle. Gallop just might know a little bit about sampling.

But given the source (Washington Times, not Post), the purported results aren't much of a surprise.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

I am ready to believe the numbers, but respected research would include definitions of the sample. Until we have that, the stats mean nothing.

[warpedskydiver 0]

TYVM how nice of you to say so

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