Why is USA much more violent than EU?

[Beatitude]

Seriously. I hate admitting this, but it's true. Our homicides rates are out the roof. Is it guns? Social disparity? Culture? All of the above?

[IraHays]

EU men are beta.

[JoshSP1985]

Violent video games


























if you nodded in agreement neg yourself

[GrokTheCube]

Seriously. I hate admitting this, but it's true. Our homicides rates are out the roof.

Honestly a good question. Standard of living is much lower here in MANY areas, public education is comparatively a MASSIVE fail, and the difference between rich and poor is MUCH larger for starters, but it's also a cultural thing. Not blaming the media, but here it's more acceptable to show a gunshot wound to the heat than a nipple, and more acceptable to show torture or disemboweling than people screwing. The exact opposite is true in Europe, which probably plays a role. More of an example of the way the culture works than blaming "the media".

[RalphNader420]

because dey took er jobs!!!!

[mehdi84]

Violent video games

if you nodded in agreement neg yourself

While I agree it's generally a crap statement, one should not underestimate the power entertainment mediums have on one's character.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/po...-70210447.html

[eccoblaster]

Guns being legal thats why.

[neonhypoxia]

Because europeans are big p*ssies?

Just joking, don't come to my house and kick my *ss brits.

Honestly a good question. Standard of living is much lower here in MANY areas, public education is comparatively a MASSIVE fail, and the difference between rich and poor is MUCH larger for starters, but it's also a cultural thing. Not blaming the media, but here it's more acceptable to show a gunshot wound to the heat than a nipple, and more acceptable to show torture or disemboweling than people screwing. The exact opposite is true in Europe, which probably plays a role. More of an example of the way the culture works than blaming "the media".

I noticed that about the media in Europe as well. Compared to here in the U.S. you rarely see violence there. Yet here sex is considered extremely taboo for some reason yet at the same time advertised everywhere yet its quite a bit more subtle. (I know the subtlety thing sounds odd, but go watch german TV.) I don't know about the rest of you but I would much rather see a pair of nice tits then get my neck broken by Seagal.

I'm sure that education and poverty rates play a role too. One of the big things in the U.S. are the demographics as well but this is becoming a problem in many european countries.

[neonhypoxia]

Guns being legal thats why.

I'm not a fan of everyone having guns either, but I have to point out that Canada and Switzland disagree with you.

[Al Swearengen]

th US has more and lager gangs here which is what most of the violent crime rate comes from sadly enough.

[Beatitude]

Guns being legal thats why.

However Switzerland has even lower violent crime than the EU (and UK). Also, I remember reading that the homicide rate in the UK in 1900 was lower than it is now, and guns were entirely legal back then.

I'm thinking it's the combination of guns + social disparity, with social disparity being the root cause and guns an accelerator.

[thepointman]

Because Republicans foster a culture of fear, repression, and hate.

[eccoblaster]

I'm not a fan of everyone having guns either, but I have to point out that Canada and Switzland disagree with you.

I read somewhere that theres been more gun related deaths in American than canada and Switzerland. I just makes big news over there because its not common.

[Beatitude]

Because Republicans foster a culture of fear, repression, and hate.

If that's not convincing, I don't know what is.

[OatsandSteak]

However Switzerland has even lower violent crime than the EU (and UK). Also, I remember reading that the homicide rate in the UK in 1900 was lower than it is now, and guns were entirely legal back then.

I'm thinking it's the combination of guns + social disparity, with social disparity being the root cause and guns an accelerator.

I think a large portion is in relation to laws, not lack thereof but too many. Drug laws and laws that generate black markets lead to huge amounts of violence.

[pats55583]

immigrants

/thread

[Beatitude]

I think a large portion is in relation to laws, not lack thereof but too many. Drug laws and laws that generate black markets lead to huge amounts of violence.

You see I'm semi-ignorant on this, but aren't hard drugs illegal in most European countries also? I'm not talking about marijuana.

Some of it is probably just geographic. The U.S. is nestled closer to the Latin American drug lords, so more illegal traffic gets sent our way. But yeah, either way, ending the war of drugs would almost certainly lower violent crime.

[neonhypoxia]

I read somewhere that theres been more gun related deaths in American than canada and Switzerland. I just makes big news over there because its not common.

Yeah, that's what I was going for. Both countries have a higher rate of gun ownership than the U.S. does yet they have a much lower homicide rate. I'de be willing to argue that the prevelance of guns does play some role in the rate of violence in the U.S. but it absolutely is not the only cause, not even close.

I think a large portion is in relation to laws, not lack thereof but too many. Drug laws and laws that generate black markets lead to huge amounts of violence.

True, but many european countries still have drug bans so again this by far isn't the only cause.

immigrants

/thread

You might want to check your stats. In the U.S. hispanice immigrants have a crime rate roughly equal to the national average so they aren't really increase or decreasing the crime rate; atleast not by much. Although there is a paticular demographic group in the U.S. that has a much higher crime rate than average and they aren't immigrants. Of course if I say which group that is I'll get twenty people calling me a racist for simply presenting the stats and nothing more.

Northern and Western Europe on the other hand does have a major crime population within some of its immigrant groups. However yet again if I state what those groups are a huge number of people will play the racist card.

[Scuba19]

This isn't going to be politically correct, but "demographics" play a huge role. Of course I'll probably get called a racist now, but I know what I'm talking about from experience.

In addition, the whole rap and "thug" culture is a big cause too. The amount of knuckle heads that think it's cool and try to emulate it is ridiculous.

[Beatitude]

*cat out of bag*

So what your saying is that the black male has higher testosterone levels than the white male, and this has an effect on violent crime.

So what do we do? I've always been a hands-off kind of guy, but I've entered this stage where I just feel like saying "Screw it" and supporting large amounts of State intervention. I mean how do we make these disparity issues go away? Because they really cause a load of trouble.

[eccoblaster]

However Switzerland has even lower violent crime than the EU (and UK). Also, I remember reading that the homicide rate in the UK in 1900 was lower than it is now, and guns were entirely legal back then.

I'm thinking it's the combination of guns + social disparity, with social disparity being the root cause and guns an accelerator.

Many marxist sociologists would disagree infact neo-marxist Hebdige (1988) argues that crime amongst the working class (which gun crime generally is) can be seen as a sighn of resistance and rebellion against the economic and structural factors of their society. This can be related to moderns society because in switerland there is less poverty compared to USA and Britain. This may be why countries such as ****lia have the highest crime rates.

[Scuba19]

Many marxist sociologists would disagree infact neo-marxist Hebdige (1988) argues that crime amongst the working class (which gun crime generally is) can be seen as a sighn of resistance and rebellion against the economic and structural factors of their society. This can be related to moderns society because in switerland there is less poverty compared to USA and Britain. This may be why countries such as ****lia have the highest crime rates.

There's a lot of poverty in the US because a lot of people are lazy, unmotivated, stupid, or all of the above. I'm not saying that all poor people are, because that's not the case for everyone. That is of course, if you think the US has genuine "poor" people.

[neonhypoxia]

*cat out of bag*

So what your saying is that the black male has higher testosterone levels than the white male, and this has an effect on violent crime.

So what do we do? I've always been a hands-off kind of guy, but I've entered this stage where I just feel like saying "Screw it" and supporting large amounts of State intervention. I mean how do we make these disparity issues go away? Because they really cause a load of trouble.

The average free testosterone levels aren't that different between black males, white males, and asian males in the U.S. There is a little bit of difference but it isn't a huge amount. I think testosterone gets blamed alot because of feminist issues but that's just my opinion on the subject.

There is however a very noticeable average difference in aldosterone levels and in norepinephrine and epinephrine sensitivities. The aldosterone levels are actually the reason for the problems with high BP, its related heart disease, and increases in certain cancer rates in the black community in America. Higher aldosterone levels, and norepi/epi desensitivity is a known factor in increasing the likelyhood of crimal behavior. We do have drugs that can drop aldosterone levels which are used for the treatment of high BP, and there are a few things that are available that raise norepi/epi sensitivity but they don't do all that great of a job on it. However you are walking into dangerous territory when you start talking about forcibly drugging an entire race for any reason at all. Although it might not be as big of an issue if that was part of say parole or something like that, but it still brings up issues.

On a side note I find it very odd that its normally considered acceptable to discuss the aldosterone difference when its in terms of trying to prevent or treat health problems. Yet as soon as you start talking about its behavioral effects people get very upset.

[...Rousseau...]

minorities cause most of our violent crime. (no hate, just statistics.)

[IraHays]

must be the way we are raised.


misc section has thread about cops tasering 10 year old girl.

many people attempt to justify it.

dunno.....

[nutsy54]

Your thread title says "Violent", but then your OP only focuses on Murders...

All numbers will be per-capita (usually per 100,000), starting from this page, the drop-down will show other results:
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cr...lts-per-capita

Assaults: US 7.6 - UK 7.5 - Aus 7.0
Burglaries: US 7.1 - UK 13.8 - Aus 21.7
Car Thefts: US 3.9 - UK 5.6 - Aus 6.9
Murder: US .043 - UK .014 - Aus .015
Rapes: US .301 - UK .142 - Aus .778
Robberies: US 1.39 - UK 1.57 - Aus 1.16

The illusion that violent crime is far more rampant in the US is just that. . . An illusion.

[asylumz]

minorities cause most of our violent crime. (no hate, just statistics.)

qft

[Rambo26]

Burglaries: US 7.1 - UK 13.8 - Aus 21.7

Makes sense to steal from the unarmed

[neonhypoxia]

must be the way we are raised.


misc section has thread about cops tasering 10 year old girl.

many people attempt to justify it.

dunno.....

I never understood this either. What is up with our culture when we try to defend things like this?

[...Rousseau...]

qft

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_i...s_of_offenders

I'm not going to deny an answer because it might be politically incorrect.