Originally posted by Monster:
Be very careful...quote from Interpol crime stats page:

Warning: These statistics cannot be used as a basis for comparison between different countries. They do not take into account:

* national differences in the legal definitions of punishable acts
* the diversity of statistical methods used
* changes which may occur during the reference period affecting the data collected.

Also:

Definitions of offences vary between countries due to both legal differences and statistical recording methods. For example, the USA and Canada do not appear to include minor assaults, intimidation, and threats within their definition of violent crime.

The figures per 100,000 in 2000 were (roughly on the US scale):

USA 506
CAN 236
UK 154
NZ 133
AUS 121

I cannot find the data, but I am sure Sweden is lower than any of those on the same scale - just go there :viking: . I don't want to start a gun politics thread, but suggesting the US has a low crime rate due to gun proliferation is 'very' provocative...