Quora Answer: Are People in Singapore Extremely Honest?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Are people in Singapore extremely honest?  In 2012, a country of over 5 million people, had 80 days of a year in which no robberies or thefts were reported.”

People are as honest as their options. Singapore has a low crime rate for various reasons.

Firstly, it is about values.  There is a national education programme that educates the populace on the ideal citizen.  It is indoctrination, but in a good way.  There is this emphasis on national pride, and investing in our good name.

Secondly, the laws are strict, and policing is efficient.  It is difficult to commit most crimes when there are cameras everywhere, court cases do not take long, and sentences are meted out efficiently.  In tandem with this, the prisons are focused on rehabilitation, not punishment.  This keeps recidivism low.  People reoffend because they have no opportunities, and become estranged from society.  By having programmes to integrate ex-offenders back into the community, they have a stake in the status quo.

Thirdly, we have to consider the socioeconomic aspect.  There is a lot of effort to get Singaporeans invested in the community through community engagement and social integration.  When people are invested in the neighbourhood, they will not work against their self-interest.  Also, there is still a strong social safety net.  A person may be poor, but no Singaporean is so poor that he has to steal to survive.  There are a multitude of avenues to receive welfare.  There are job placement programmes, and there is an emphasis on skills development so people remain employable.