[1] GOD is not IPC (Indian Penal Code).
Even the Indian Penal Code has not been able to stop increases in murders (the per capita murders in India has been rising in spite of IPC allowing capital punishment). Majority of those who commit crimes do so in spite of being ardent believers of GOD (in any form). Each jail in India has special places of worship. We have to accept that believing in the existence of a divine power has not at all discouraged these perpetrators of crime. We have the classic example of 9/11 where the crime was carried out because of GODs wish to punish the infidels (at least that 's what the terrorists were made to believe).
[2] Is the rate of crime higher in predominantly "atheistic"countries?
Actually quite the contrary is true. The civic consciousness, law and order problems, rate of crime, empowerment of women, public health, child mortality, gender equality and of course economic growth and the overall development measured by the HDI (Human Development Index is used by UNO to rate nations on the basis of economic and non economic indicators of growth) is much better in these "atheistic" nations (Norway, Sweden) than countries like USA or India both of which predominantly believe in GOD. The absence of GOD (statistically in the minds of majority of their population) does not seem to have created anarchy.
[3] Are believers better than others in taking ethical and moral decisions? Psychologists can assess the personality trait of an individual for (1) integrity and (2) ethical /moral behaviour. I was fascinated (& so will you be) to read about the conclusions drawn by Hauser and Singer's study (Page258 of "The GOD Delusion" by Richard Dawkins) that there is no statistically significant difference between atheists and believers in making moral judgments.
We obviously do not need GOD to be either good or evil.
