While the U.S. has the most absolute documented serial killers, determining the highest per capita is complex due to reporting variations, but studies suggest countries like South Africa, with high violent crime rates and distinct cultural factors, often show patterns similar to U.S. serial killers, while historical cases also point to Europe. However, official statistics consistently highlight the United States as having the highest total numbers, despite per capita rankings being debated and shifting with data, notes Wikipedia and Wikipedia.
The database tracks serial killings all the way back to 1900 and includes serial killers from over 115 countries. The U.S. leads the rest of the world in documented serial killers, with a whopping 3,613 serial killers as of 2020 (England is not-so-close second, with known 176 serial killers as of 2020).
Homicide rate - Country rankings
The highest value was in El Salvador: 61.8 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Japan: 0.2 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017.
Crime rate by country 2025: 10 countries with the highest crime...
In addition, 82 percent of American serial killers were white, 15 percent were black, and 2.5 percent were Hispanic. Eighty- seven percent operated alone, while 10 percent committed their crimes in pairs or groups. Some committed their crimes in specific geographic areas, while others traveled widely.
White-collar crimes are characterized as planned, non-violent financial crimes like fraud, bribery, money laundering, and misleading marketing. The perpetrators of these crimes are usually corporate or government officials of high rank, and the damage caused can be severe financially, even if there is no violence.
Studies have suggested that serial killers generally have an average or low-average IQ, although they are often described, and perceived, as possessing IQs in the above-average range. A sample of 202 IQs of serial killers had a median IQ of 89.
Iceland is consistently ranked as the #1 safest country in the world by the Global Peace Index (GPI), a position it has held for over a decade due to extremely low crime, no standing army, high social cohesion, and minimal conflict, though some other reports might place Switzerland or the Netherlands first based on different survey criteria.
Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2021 was 0.74, a 13.52% decline from 2020. Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2020 was. Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2019 was 0.89, a 0.29% increase from 2018. Australia crime rate per 100K population for 2018 was 0.88, a 4.6% increase from 2017.
Crime statistics. Scholars have found that some racial and ethnic minorities, particularly African-Americans, are disproportionately represented in the arrest and victimization reports which are used to compile crime rate statistics in the United States.
1. Memphis. Memphis has one of the highest crime rates in the country at 2,437 per 100,000 people, with assault leading the list. The city has addressed these issues through targeted policing and community engagement initiatives.
The World's Safest Havens: A Look at Countries with the Lowest Homicide Rates When it comes to personal safety, some countries stand out for their remarkably low homicide rates. According to 2024 data, Vatican City and Tuvalu share the top spot, both reporting a homicide rate of 0 per 100,000 people yearly.
The top 10 most dangerous places
Which country has the fewest serial killers?
Yes, law enforcement is getting better and better at catching serial killers. “New technology and better training have impacted a killer's ability to move on to more cases,” said Giacalone. “A fast deployment of resources and a relentless follow-up has probably disrupted a number of future cases.
In reviewing the evidence of both explanations I have found that it is a mix of both genetics and cultural upbringings. Though many humans must deal with violent situations as children and experience horrific events many do not become mass murderers.
Homicide rate: Australia's homicide rate hovers around 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. rate of approximately 6 per 100,000. Property crime: Both countries experience property crime, but Australia's rates are generally lower, and violent property crimes (like armed burglary) are less common.
Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is considered the safest city. According to Numbeo, its safety index is 73.6, which is higher than other cities in Australia. It also ranked as the 49th safest city in global rankings.
Top 10 most dangerous cities in Australia
Iceland, New Zealand, and Ireland again lead with the world's lowest crime rates in 2025. Countries like Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, and Singapore follow closely, powered by strong laws and social trust. Know more below about what makes these nations so safe.
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in 2022, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and Austria.
Level 4: Do Not Travel
The condition is further divided into four levels of retardation based on IQ, which include mild mental retardation (IQ between 50-55 and 70), moderate mental retardation (IQ between 35-40 and 50-55), severe mental retardation (IQ between 20-25 and 35-40), and profound mental retardation (IQ below 20 or 25) (American ...
Hickey (1997) indi- cated that 85 percent of his sample of known serial murderers were white and 13 percent were African America, al- though his broader sample indicated that as much as 20 percent of 399 known male and female serial murderers were black (Hickey 2002:243).
As shown in the graph below, the prevalence of violent behavior dropped steadily with increasing IQ: 16.3% of individuals with IQs in the 70-79 range reported violent behavior, compared with just 2.9% of those with IQs of 120-129.