This research note inquires into the well-known assumption that criminology and the sociology of crime have in the application of the comparative methodology. Unlike political science and some areas of sociological research, the comparative methodology does not feature prominently in empirical crime research. However, there are some valuable examples of the advantages of the comparative study of crime and violent crime. I therefore include a brief review of the current status of these studies and their inherent theoretical and methodological limitations. Finally, I conclude the note by presenting my proposal to incorporate the comparative methodology into the research agenda on the social bases of crime and violent crime.