Comparative test #1

Which of these countries had the highest homicide rate in 2024?

Jamaica

Which country do you think had the fiarest justice system in the world in 2025?

Denmark

World Justice Project, Rule of law index

constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, criminal justice

local benefits of studying the legal system of other countries

allows one to develop intercultural competence and establishes points of increased understanding of the criminal justice system

universal benefits of studying legal systemof other ocuntries

understanding of criminal justice systems in other countries allows those countries to cooperate in fighting crime and increases understanding of the relevance of neighbor cooperation and multinational cooperation among law enforcement

Neighbor cooperation:U.S and Canada

Share a border and long standing agreement and participate in the annual U.S-Canada Cross-Border Crime Forum. Regular patrol by the border enforcement security task forces and the integrated cross-border maritime law enforcement operations (shiprider)

U.S Coast guard are pursuing a boat suspected of carrying cocaine. The boat crosses into Canadian waters. What happens?

Under shiprider, a properly designated joint U.s- Canadian team can continue the operation under the laws and authority

Neighbor cooperation: U.S and Mexico

Collaborative response based on the Merida Initiative which is a bilateral partnership that includes counterdrug and anticrime assistance for Mexico. Includes a pledge by the Mexican government to intensify its anticrime efforts and a pledge but he U.S government to address drug demand in the U.S and illicit trafficking of firearm and bulk currency to Mexico

Interpol

International criminal police organization collects and disseminates information on international criminal as a way to assist countries in solving crimes and securing the arrest, detention, and extradition of suspects

Eurojust

Enhances cooperation and coordination of the prosecuting authorities in EU countries

Approaches to an International Perspective

Historical, political, descriptive

Historical approach to international perspective

Compares based on past events and conditions to current structure and procedure

Political approach to international perspective

Focus on the country’s political system as a means to understand its criminal legal system

Descriptive approach to international perspective

First steps in comparing criminal legal system. Identifies similarities and differences across countries and focuses on current structures and process of the legal system

Homicide globally is

Decreasing

In Europe (and globally), most homicides are connected to

Family and intimate partner relationships

Globally, which weapon type is responsible for the largest share of homicides

Firearms

Which of the following statements best reflects gender patterns in homicide?

Men are majority the victims, while women are more likely to be killed at home

Which region of the world has the highest share of homicides linked to organized crime and gangs?

Americas

What are the major official data sources

WHO and UNODC

WHO

World Health Organization takes a medical/public health perspective. More relatable but can include deaths from legal justified acts

UNODC

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Crime prevention and criminal justice branch. The United Nations surveys of crime trends and operations of criminal justice systems

Challenges and implications of official data sources

Problems when comparing crime in two or more countries because of different definitions, levels of reporting, traditions in policing, and social contexts

Victimization surveys

shows consistency with Japan low and England & Wales ranked high

overview of cross-national survey data

Uses opinion surveys like eurometer and

the three regions with the highest homicide rate

Southern Africa, Central America and South America

what counts as a “serious assault”?

serious injury, weapons, threat, risk or intent. Example of conceptual difference

Homicide definition difference

England and Wales is murder even if there isn’t a intent to kill while in Germany its intentional

Grand theories

Modernization, civilization, world system, opportunity and feminist

Modernization theory

Industrial development create conditions conducive to increased criminality

Civilization theory

Suggests that violent crime in societies decreased as civility transformed violent societies into more peaceful societies

World system theory

Explain it disrupts indigenous cultures, and traditional means of subsistence and resulted in inequality and class conflict resulting in increased crime

Opportunity theories

Crime is the result of modern economics and social organization that provide increased opportunites to engage in criminal behavior(Routine activities)

Feminist theory

Examine how indicators of gender inequality influence crime rates, particularly gender differences in crime rates and difference in rates of gendered crimes

Which statement best describes the global status of the death penalty?

Most countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice

Which statement do you think is true?

Fewer countries use it, but executions have recently increased

US death penalty 2026 snapshot

Weather the state abolished death the federal can charge and sentence to death

Organized crime vs. terrorism

The motive is profit vs political, ideological, or religious goals

Subcategories of terrorism

International and domestic

Contemporary forms of terrorism

Revolutionary , political, nationalist, retributive, state-sponsored, and lone-actor

Human trafficking

Is by force and they are victims while smuggling there is no coercion