Leading the World in Violent Crime
Comments: 3
Here’s a question whose answer may surprise you (it certainly surprised me): Which country has the most violent crime?
Answer: Australia.
This week’s New York Times (international edition), citing the United Nations International Crime Victims Survey, has this to say:
Australia ranks highest in violent crime, with more than double the rate of America (which comes in at No. 13). There, an anti-immigrant law-and-order party has done well. But Britain was right behind in the ratings, and the British Nationalist Party is insignificant […]
Wow: two great embarrassments in one paragraph. (My emphasis in the quote above, which fact let’s just repeat: more than double the rate of America! Unbelievable.) I feel so… proud. Makes you want to just pack up and emigrate to Oz right now, doesn’t it.
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Posted to Oh, the Humanity • 2002.05.02 (Thu) • 18:59
Comments
Posted by Adam Frederick 2002.05.07, 15:34
As an Australian citizen, I’m glad our Government hasn’t widley adopted zero tolerance crime laws.
I’m glad Australia has a political and social landscape that allows people to have widely divergent views and agendas and to promote them as they see fit.
I’m glad that I can come to personal website and see a criticism of my country and comment on it.
Woohoo!
Posted by jh 2002.05.08, 00:40
Hi, Adam, and welcome.
It’s my country, too (I guess I don’t make that clear anywhere but in stray posts every now and then) but you probably knew that. I’m from Perth.
I’m also glad that Australia hasn’t adopted the zero-tolerance approach to a great extent, although the trend towards minimum mandatory sentencing is pretty disturbing. I haven’t lived in Australia for more than a decade so I’m not sure what the atmosphere is like these days for “widely divergent views and agendas” but I certainly hope it’s as you suggest. I found myself with a lot of explaining to do to Japanese and non-Australian foreign friends here when Pauline Hanson and One Nation were on the rise.
I’m not sure I was very helpful as I really didn’t know what was going on back in Australia. The embarrassment, however, was acute.
-jh
Posted by Anonymous 2003.04.16, 09:48
shazaaaammmm!
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