S-1. Incidence Rate for General Crimes (per 100,000 people)
1.Current Values
2,187 incidents / 100,000 people (FY
2003)
2.Current Points (out of a perfect score of 100 by 2050)
81 points
Calculation method:
(Current value - minimum value) / (2050 target
value - minimum value) x 100
3. Explanation of Indicator
Although in the past Japan has been
known throughout the world as a low-crime, safe
society, at present crime incidents are rapidly
increasing. General crimes (crimes excluding moving
traffic violations) have risen almost 20% in the
past 10 years; heinous crimes, compound crimes
and crimes committed by youths have also increased.
With safety ensured, people can live without anxiety,
and can begin to build relationships of mutual
trust. Furthermore, that mutual trust forms the
ground (social capital) from which knowledge and
culture flower. We have chosen the incidence rate
of crimes as an indicator of safety, which can
be said to be the foundation of social capital.
4.Target for 2050
200 incidents / 100,000 people
5.Ideal for the Future
Approaching zero
6. Rationale for Ideal and Target Values
Crime ruins peace of mind and trust,
which are parts of the social capital, and threatens
a sustainable society. Realistically, we cannot
eradicate crime, but we can aim for "approaching
zero" as an ideal.
As to the target for 2050, we should look at how
things are in other countries. In a United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) survey for the
period 1998-2000, the country with the lowest
crime rate in the world was Yemen, with 124 incidents
per 100,000 population; of OECD countries, Turkey
was the lowest with 420 incidents. International
crime statistics cannot be compared wholesale,
however, since they reflect the way in which crimes
are recognized and reported. Nonetheless, for
the sake of argument we have set 200 incidents
per 100,000 population as our target for 2050,
which approaches the safest level both among OECD
countries and worldwide.
7. Source
Ministry
of Justice, "White Paper on Crime 2004"(Japanese
only)
Related information:
Total
crimes per capita, NationMaster.com
8. Notes
"General crimes" are crimes
excluding moving traffic violations.