Does America lead the world in crime?

Answer 1

That would depend on what you call crime. The US is certainly a world leader in reporting crime, investigating crime, and punishing those convicted of crime. But comparing crime in the US with every other place in the world is not an true picture. Many acts that are crimes in the US are not crimes in other places; the US has a system in place to report crime efficiently and effectively, many places do not; the US has the money, expertise, and technology available to pursue crime and prosecute offenders, many places do not. There are places in the world that what we consider crime is rampant, a way of life; there is no effective authority to protect citizens; there is no law enforcement or existing law enforcement has no interest in pursuing crime that doesn't affect the authorities personally.

There is no doubt that the US leads the world in incarcerated criminals but when you look more closely, that does not necessarily mean that Americans commit more crimes.