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and KeywordsReligion and crime are independent subjects that continue to receive significant attention in most societies. However, we do not have an extensive or well-developed research literature examining the direct and indirect ways in which these two topics relate to each other. This curious oversight is unfortunate, because upon close examination of the extant literature, we find that the relationship between religion and crime is quite robust, consistently inverse, and carries with it relevant implications for theory and practice. Additionally, the relationship between religion and crime offers important insights for sacred-secular approaches to crime prevention strategies and policy formation that ultimately improves the overall effectiveness of the criminal justice system.