Final answer:
The United States has a significantly higher violent crime rate and the highest incarceration rate compared to other industrialized countries, largely due to its severe violent crimes and strict sentencing policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The United States rate of violent crime is significantly higher than other industrialized countries. While general crime rates and trends can be determined through sources such as NCVR and UCR data, it is apparent that severe violent crimes are more common in the U.S. Studies suggest that easy access to firearms in the U.S. leads to more frequent use of weapons in crimes, resulting in longer prison sentences compared to other countries. This contributes to the U.S. having the highest incarceration rate in the world, with over 700 individuals per 100,000 being imprisoned. Cultural and policy differences, along with social issues such as education levels, also influence the disparate crime rates.
Contrary to some beliefs, crime rates in the United States, especially for violent and gun-related crimes, have been declining since the early 1990s. However, the incarceration rates remain incredibly high due to strict sentencing and 'get tough on crime' policies that emerged in the 1980s, leading to a massive criminal justice system with over two million people incarcerated as of 2017, not to mention the additional 5 million on parole.