Juvenile delinquency and criminality grew in both Germany and Japan between 1945 and 1948, but it declined in Japan from 1948 to 1972 while increasing steadily in Germany. The patterns of crime are similar in the two nations, with thefts and traffic offenses accounting for most crime in 1985. However, the two nations differ substantially in their social and cultural characteristics, and these differences appear to account for the differences in criminality. Countries with little crime have three main characteristics: 1) the important role of informal control through social groups, family, neighborhood, school, professional, and recreational peer groups; 2) the crucial importance of a sense of community; and 3) the good reputation of the criminal justice system. 61 references.