Questions about Crime in Asia (crime rate, life, country, safest)
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I have noticed some statistics about crime rates in Asian countries and cities being low. I have also seen statistics about crime in the Americas in general being much higher than in Europe and East Asia, especially Hong Kong. They were quite low.
I know people in neighborhoods in the USA regarded as 'middle class' who nonetheless deal with constant neighborhood crime. Usually it is just petty vandalism or theft, but occasionally robberies and murders do happen, even in these neighborhoods. Most houses have fences and some have surveillance systems. A surprising number of homeowners carry guns, and they occasionally do use them.
My question is, is crime in Asian countries like China, especially Hong Kong, really that low? If so, is the crime rate that low because the criminals are in fear of severe and unreasonable punishments from an overreaching State, like executions or unofficial beatings for minor offenses? Or is the crime that low because the citizens there are just behaving better of their own volition? Does the number of practicing Buddhists play a factor?
I have noticed some statistics about crime rates in Asian countries and cities being low. I have also seen statistics about crime in the Americas in general being much higher than in Europe and East Asia, especially Hong Kong. They were quite low.
I know people in neighborhoods in the USA regarded as 'middle class' who nonetheless deal with constant neighborhood crime. Usually it is just petty vandalism or theft, but occasionally robberies and murders do happen, even in these neighborhoods. Most houses have fences and some have surveillance systems. A surprising number of homeowners carry guns, and they occasionally do use them.
My question is, is crime in Asian countries like China, especially Hong Kong, really that low? If so, is the crime rate that low because the criminals are in fear of severe and unreasonable punishments from an overreaching State, like executions or unofficial beatings for minor offenses? Or is the crime that low because the citizens there are just behaving better of their own volition? Does the number of practicing Buddhists play a factor?
Seriously? Overreaching state? Death penalty is abolished in Hong Kong and the US on average executes a lot more people than the Asian countries you have in mind (except China where executions are carried out in secret).
And I don't think this is an Asia vs. United States dichotomy. The crime rate in the US, especially homicide rate, is much higher than all other Western countries as well. Canada's crime rate is a fraction of what it is in the US and Australia's is even lower. These two countries easily have the most in common with the US in the world (large area, sparse population, melting pot, suburban lifestyle, car dependency, English-speaking etc.). Amongst developed European countries, even in those with higher crime rates like Belgium, France, and the UK they still have a much better track record in terms of criminality.
It's not exactly other countries being so much safer as much as it is the system in the US being a complete failure in this regard.
First of all, none of us in the USA in middle class neighborhoods deal with "constant neighborhood crime". That's just nonsense. We have fences mainly for privacy and we own guns because it's our constitution right to for whatever reason we may want to own guns - sports shooting, hunting, collecting, etc.
But this forum isn't about the US, it's about Asia. Specifically China and Hong Kong. I do believe you hit on two important elements:
1.) Underreported crime - Absolutely, and more likely in Mainland China then Hong Kong because of the lack of checks and balances in the government structure for reporting. Basically, any type of facts or figures coming from that government are rubbish. Crime, economy...anything.
2.) Cultural - Is not so much Buddhism as it's not recognized by the government, but the legacy of that religion, the recognition of the homogeneous identity of the Chinese, and the cultural and communism focus on the collective society rather than individualism.
and I introduce a 3rd factor:
3.) Types of crime - Violent crime is low yes. Not so low are other crimes - corruption, human trafficking, domestic violence, drugs and prostitution, organized crime, scams. Those are huge issues in China and, like I said, underreported. Yeah I can walk down a street in a tourist area of Shanghai without getting mugged (usually), but I CANNOT walk down that same street without being propositioned by a prostitute, offers of fake watches, or attempts at scam. And yes, those are all crimes. Human trafficking is a serious issue in China, see below link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_...cking_in_China
It's not exactly other countries being so much safer as much as it is the system in the US being a complete failure in this regard.
These topics always seem to get out of control when a comparison is brought up to the US. Then we spend 5 pages getting into a discussion of US crime and forget that the OP mentioned China crime. Let's keep in mind this is the A-S-I-A forum.
3.) Types of crime - Violent crime is low yes. Not so low are other crimes - corruption, human trafficking, domestic violence, drugs and prostitution, organized crime, scams. Those are huge issues in China and, like I said, underreported. Yeah I can walk down a street in a tourist area of Shanghai without getting mugged (usually), but I CANNOT walk down that same street without being propositioned by a prostitute, offers of fake watches, or attempts at scam. And yes, those are all crimes. Human trafficking is a serious issue in China, see below link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_...cking_in_China
But these are crimes that a law-abiding citizen is unlikely to be victim of, or even observe in hes neighborhood. So have no real relevance, except statistical.
1.) Underreported crime - Absolutely, and more likely in Mainland China then Hong Kong because of the lack of checks and balances in the government structure for reporting. Basically, any type of facts or figures coming from that government are rubbish. Crime, economy...anything.
You can probably make that case for China, but not for Hong Kong. And the reality is - and I normally don't have anything nice to say about China - China is generally regarded as a pretty safe country crime-wise and Hong Kong is widely recognised as one of the safest major cities in the world (at least until recently. This reputation has observed a dent thanks to the ongoing government crackdown).
Quote:
2.) Cultural - Is not so much Buddhism as it's not recognized by the government, but the legacy of that religion, the recognition of the homogeneous identity of the Chinese, and the cultural and communism focus on the collective society rather than individualism.
What you are referring to is Confucianism, not Buddhism.
Quote:
and I introduce a 3rd factor:
3.) Types of crime - Violent crime is low yes. Not so low are other crimes - corruption, human trafficking, domestic violence, drugs and prostitution, organized crime, scams. Those are huge issues in China and, like I said, underreported. Yeah I can walk down a street in a tourist area of Shanghai without getting mugged (usually), but I CANNOT walk down that same street without being propositioned by a prostitute, offers of fake watches, or attempts at scam. And yes, those are all crimes. Human trafficking is a serious issue in China, see below link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_...cking_in_China
Drugs? The opiod epidemic in the US blows the rest of the world out of water. Let's just establish that first. More than 70k Americans die from drug overdose annually. In comparison, 45 people died from drug overdose in Taiwan in 2018. I think that alone is enough to paint a picture.
The situation of corruption, scams, and human trafficking is definitely really bad in China (and they won't recognise it), but that is not what the OP is referring to at all.
First of all, none of us in the USA in middle class neighborhoods deal with "constant neighborhood crime". That's just nonsense. We have fences mainly for privacy and we own guns because it's our constitution right to for whatever reason we may want to own guns - sports shooting, hunting, collecting, etc.
But this forum isn't about the US, it's about Asia. Specifically China and Hong Kong. I do believe you hit on two important elements:
1.) Underreported crime - Absolutely, and more likely in Mainland China then Hong Kong because of the lack of checks and balances in the government structure for reporting. Basically, any type of facts or figures coming from that government are rubbish. Crime, economy...anything.
2.) Cultural - Is not so much Buddhism as it's not recognized by the government, but the legacy of that religion, the recognition of the homogeneous identity of the Chinese, and the cultural and communism focus on the collective society rather than individualism.
and I introduce a 3rd factor:
3.) Types of crime - Violent crime is low yes. Not so low are other crimes - corruption, human trafficking, domestic violence, drugs and prostitution, organized crime, scams. Those are huge issues in China and, like I said, underreported. Yeah I can walk down a street in a tourist area of Shanghai without getting mugged (usually), but I CANNOT walk down that same street without being propositioned by a prostitute, offers of fake watches, or attempts at scam. And yes, those are all crimes. Human trafficking is a serious issue in China, see below link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_...cking_in_China
if it were buddhism, then india would be the safest country in the world so no, it's not that.
it's confucianism, filial piety, not wanting to bring shame to family, overall respect for others, higher IQ's.
these are all traits shared by the east asians.
homogeneity also plays a major role in why it is more civil when it comes to personal/violent crime.
the same phenomenon also explains the state the US is currently in. multiculturalism and diversity is tearing apart our country from within.
in my 30+ years alive, i have never witnessed such conflict and division as I do now. white vs black, left vs right, Rep vs Dem, muslim vs <insert other religion>...
Falling crime rate a Hong Kong success to celebrate
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobsaysgo321
Greetings.
I have noticed some statistics about crime rates in Asian countries and cities being low. I have also seen statistics about crime in the Americas in general being much higher than in Europe and East Asia, especially Hong Kong. They were quite low.
I know people in neighborhoods in the USA regarded as 'middle class' who nonetheless deal with constant neighborhood crime. Usually it is just petty vandalism or theft, but occasionally robberies and murders do happen, even in these neighborhoods. Most houses have fences and some have surveillance systems. A surprising number of homeowners carry guns, and they occasionally do use them.
My question is, is crime in Asian countries like China, especially Hong Kong, really that low? If so, is the crime rate that low because the criminals are in fear of severe and unreasonable punishments from an overreaching State, like executions or unofficial beatings for minor offenses? Or is the crime that low because the citizens there are just behaving better of their own volition? Does the number of practicing Buddhists play a factor?
Regards.
This is a city with 2.8 million people fewer than half of Hong Kong's population. In other words, if Hong Kong had Chicago's crime rates, we would have had around 1,200 murders last year. Hong Kong is not totally free of violent crime, it is a remarkably safe place to live in. I have heard is that social pressure plays a role.
if it were buddhism, then india would be the safest country in the world so no, it's not that.
it's confucianism, filial piety, not wanting to bring shame to family, overall respect for others, higher IQ's.
these are all traits shared by the east asians.
homogeneity also plays a major role in why it is more civil when it comes to personal/violent crime.
the same phenomenon also explains the state the US is currently in. multiculturalism and diversity is tearing apart our country from within.
in my 30+ years alive, i have never witnessed such conflict and division as I do now. white vs black, left vs right, Rep vs Dem, muslim vs <insert other religion>...
India is primarily Hindu, not Buddhist...but I get your point.
Note that I put down 3 causes - one being cultural and included the issues of diversity on a country. Forget the US crime comparison (crime has been steadily decreasing in the US since the 1990s regardless), once again the topic is Asia. Some of you can't help yourself, I know.
Once again I stress the underreported crime in Mainland China. https://world.wng.org/2018/10/the_pu...ow_crime_rates
However indeed there is low crime in Hong Kong, and in Singapore - and Singapore is an interesting case as they are multicultural and diverse. So is Hong Kong to a certain extent.
India is primarily Hindu, not Buddhist...but I get your point.
Note that I put down 3 causes - one being cultural and included the issues of diversity on a country. Forget the US crime comparison (crime has been steadily decreasing in the US since the 1990s regardless), once again the topic is Asia. Some of you can't help yourself, I know.
Once again I stress the underreported crime in Mainland China. https://world.wng.org/2018/10/the_pu...ow_crime_rates
However indeed there is low crime in Hong Kong, and in Singapore - and Singapore is an interesting case as they are multicultural and diverse. So is Hong Kong to a certain extent.
The bottom line is, it is usually safe to walk in any Chinese city at midnight alone. You can see women walk around at night.
Minor crimes such as theft and fraud are very common, but violent crimes are truly much less than in the US or most other developing countries.
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Falling crime rate a Hong Kong success to celebrate
