NCJ Number
64486
Journal
QUADERNI DI CRIMINOLOGIA CLINICA Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 495-536
Date Published
1976
Length
42 pages
Annotation
THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED IN SAUDI ARABIA, THE COUNTRY WITH THE WORLD'S LOWEST CRIME RATES, BY ITALIAN CRIMINOLOGISTS REVEALED A PEACE-LOVING AND LAW-ABIDING SOCIETY WITH EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS FOR ALL.
Abstract
SAUDI ARABIA, WITH AN OVERALL CRIME RATE OF 0.32 PER 1,000 INHABITANTS DURING 1966, WAS SYSTEMATICALLY SURVEYED BY A TEAM OF ITALIAN CRIMINOLOGISTS. FIELD INTERROGATION AND INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 32 ELDERLY CIVIC LEADERS AND OTHERWISE PROMINENT CITIZENS (PUBLIC OFFICIALS, MERCHANTS, MILITARY OFFICERS, TRIBAL MAGISTRATES, JUDGES, AGRICULTURALISTS, AND PILGRIMAGE GUIDES). CHOSEN FOR THEIR EXPERTISE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS AND FOR THEIR RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP THE INTERVIEWEES PRESENTED A REMARKABLY SIMILAR PICTURE OF A SOCIETY TORN BY INTERNAL STRIFE, POLITICAL DIVISION, AND A WIDESPREAD LAWLESSNESS BEFORE THE GREAT LEADER ABDUL AZIZ UNIFIED THE REGION UNDER HIS RULE IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TRANSFORMING IT INTO ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST STABLE AND PROSPEROUS COUNTRIES. THE REASONS FOR THIS DRAMATIC CHANGE WERE UNANIMOUSLY IDENTIFIED BY ALL THE LOCAL EXPERTS IN THE STRONG, YET FAIR AND PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP OF KING ABDUL AZIZ AND HIS SUCCESSORS, THEIR RESTORATION OF THE TRADITIONAL MOSLEM RELIGIOUS, MORAL, AND SOCIAL VALUES, UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION, AND THE FACT THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY IS ENTRUSTED TO A HIGHLY TRAINED AND EFFICIENT POLICE FORCE, ASSISTED BY THE LATEST AND MOST SOPHISTICATED CRIME CONTROL EQUIPMENT. JUSTICE IS ADMINISTERED WITHIN A JUDICIAL SYSTEM BASED ON THE STRONGLY NORMATIVE MOSLEM LAW CODE OF SHARIA, WHICH PRESCRIBES UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, WITH SCRUPULOUS FAIRNESS AND WITHOUT ANY DISCRIMINATION AMONG CITIZENS. DESPITE THE HEAVY YEARLY INFLUX OF PILGRIMS TRAVELING TO THE HOLY SHRINE OF MECCA, NEITHER LOCAL CITIZENS NOR FOREIGNERS ARE VICTIMIZED BY CRIMINALS ANYWHERE. TABULAR DATA CALCULATE HOMICIDE, PROPERTY CRIMES, SEXUAL OFFENSES, AND DRUG-RELATED AND MISCELLANEOUS CRIMES ON A PER-THOUSAND INSTEAD OF THE CUSTOMARY PERCENT BASIS, BECAUSE CRIME FIGURES ARE TOO LOW FOR THE LATTER TYPE OF CALCULATION. A COMPLETE LIST OF THE QUESTIONS ASKED AT THE FIELD INTERVIEWS IS INCLUDED IN THE TEXT. --IN ITALIAN. (LGR)