Religion and Crime in a Cross-National Context

• In Event: 024 - Regular Session. Comparative Criminology

Abstract

There is little research investigating the link between culture and cross-national crime, and even less examining the role of religion. We draw on Durkheimian theory to test the relationship between religiosity and cross-national crime. Using a large country sample, we find that religious intensity is not significantly associated with homicide or property crime rates, whereas belief in an active, personal God is negatively related to property crime and assault/mugging rates. Moreover, countries with a larger proportion of Muslims have significantly lower homicide rates and countries with a larger proportion of Catholics have significantly higher assault/mugging rates.

Authors

• Katie E. Corcoran, Baylor University

• David Nicholas Pettinicchio, University of Toronto