What Makes the United Arab Emirates Safe: A Call for Increased Criminological Examination

Abstract

This article provides a criminological perspective of how the United Arab Emirates (UAE) achieves its reputation as one of the safest, low interpersonal crime societies in the world. By offering an examination of legal, policing, financial, social, environmental, cultural, and religious factors, through the lens of contemporary criminological theory, the article presents the view that the UAEs status is achieved because of a diffusion of benefits from a combination the conditions presented. The article argues that although these conditions affect criminal behavior in ways that are predicted within theories of deterrence, rational choice, routine activities and situational crime prevention, much research is needed to confirm or refute this position due to the absence of criminological research in the Arab region. Ultimately, the article delivers a ‘call to arms’ to researchers to examine this perspective through the conduct of empirical research that will add a unique angle to existing areas of academic literature.