[jinglebells]

And yet the crime rates in the UK are considerably lower than the US, could it be because guns aren't widely available?

[jsbaby608]

This is exactly my point. Because guns are banned, they need to have cameras everywhere to reduce crime, which seems to be working.

I feel like I can't even have a regular conversation on HN, if it`s against groupthink, without being down voted to death.

It`s sad that a seemingly intellectual group has to be so close-minded.

[taborj]

That's not the whole story. Here are some numbers: https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/United-Kin...

You'll note that, yes the US has a higher violent crime rate, but other crime rates are higher - some far higher (drug offenses, for example, are 327 times higher in the UK; total crime victims is 25% higher in the UK, etc).

So certain types of crime rates are lower - even considerably lower - than the US. But other types of crime rates are higher - even considerably higher - than the US.

It's like there are pros and cons to everywhere.

[BeeOnRope]

I think we can be reasonably certain that drug crimes are not 327 times higher in the UK.

[jermaustin1]

I am 90% certain this fact is incorrect, and cannot find a linked source that claims this:

Drug offenses: 183,419 per 100,000 people