Huge disparity in US/Canada murder rates -- why?

[- Groucho -]

Originally posted by aaglo
One explanation for the lower murder rates:
Canada is so sparsely populated (even within city limits) that it's a tough job to find somebody to be killed.

Nope. One of the most densely populated urban areas in the world is the West End of Vancouver (which is almost entirely made up of 10 to 30 story apartment buildings). On average, the Canadian cities in Asher's list have population densities comparable to American cities. The stats are avail. through StatsCan and the US Census office, but I'm too lazy to dig them out right now.

[Garth Vader]

Part of the difference is that Canadian cities tend to be more homogeneous than American cities so the statistics are somewhat deceiving.

Where do you get that from? Canada is more a country of immigrants that you are.

[- Groucho -]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Part of the difference is that Canadian cities tend to be more homogeneous than American cities so the statistics are somewhat deceiving. For example Birmingham just left the 10 most deadly cities (its now 11th). But thats really just the stats for the inner city. Where I live in the burbs there is virtually no crime (except for the occasional gunfire on the highway) but our stats aren't included with Birmingham.

You have any stats on that? Vancouver is very racially mixed with over 30% of the residents being from Asia. Toronto and Montreal also have very large immigrant and non-white populations. The smaller urban centers of Canada are very homogenous, but not the cities on Asher's list.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Saint Marcus
It's not just the cities. On average, the homicide rate in the USA is about 7 to 10 times higher than in the rest of the western world.

But the vast majority of U.S. homicides take place in the urban centers. It isn't evenly dispersed geographically. Rural Iowa probably sees the same murder rate as rural France or Germany.

[Ned]

Is there a correlation with temperature?

[MOBIUS]

Nope, those Finns seem to be a pretty murderous bunch too...

I have to say I'm not surprised - of all the Westernised countries I've ever visited, the US is far and away the most threatening country I've been to...

Peckham at night is child's play compared to, for example, the civic centre of San Franciso in broad daylight!

I don't like the idea of living in a country where there are seriously dangerous no go areas!

[Boris Godunov]

You're telling me that, in all of Australia, there isn't a place where it is dangerous to go?

[Asher]

Part of the difference is that Canadian cities tend to be more homogeneous than American cities so the statistics are somewhat deceiving

I guess it really depends on the city you live in.
My high school was mostly Asian (East Indian, Pakistani, Japanese, Korean, Chinese) rather than Caucasian. It was more common to hear languages other than English in the halls.

If that's homogeneous, perhaps we're using the word a bit too loosely.

[Boris Godunov]

I wish my high school had been more homo...

oh wait, he said geneous, never mind.

It's at least good to see that NYC is lower down on the list. 16.8 ain't so bad, ya know!

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Part of the difference is that Canadian cities tend to be more homogeneous than American cities so the statistics are somewhat deceiving.

I don't know if this is true, but it is often said that Toronto has more people from different ethnic backgrounds than any city in the world. I think the story goes that every single nationality is represent in Toronto.

[Tingkai]

Hong Kong shows the economic theory and the density theory doesn't wash. Hong Kong is the most densely populated place on earth and it has one of the highest income gap and yet there are relatively few murders.

[Az]

wait a second are these murder rates, PER DAY??

[CapitanGarlic]

Probably the upbringing here in America...

It's still reletively puritanical and restrictive, and many people are probably looking for more freedom, or simply attention and individuality.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Dalgetti
wait a second are these murder rates, PER DAY??

No!!

It's per 100,000 inhabitants, per year.

[Az]

oh.