Immigrant criminality
Encyclopedia
Immigration and crime refers to perceived or actual relationships between crime
and immigration
.
's crime statistics. During the period 1997-2001, 25% of the almost 1,520,000 offences were committed by people born abroad, while almost 20% were committed by Swedish-born people with a foreign background. Those from North Africa
and the Middle East
were overrepresented.
, 69.7% of prison population had no Swiss citizenship, compared to 22.1% of total resident population (as of 2008).
The figure of arrests by residence status is not usually made public. As in 1997 the conviction rate of Swiss citizens fell below 50% for the first time, a special report was compiled by the Federal Department of Justice and Police (published in 2001) which for the year 1998 found an arrest rate per 1000 adult population of 2.3 for Swiss citizens, 4.2 for legally resident aliens and 32 for asylum seekers.
21% of arrests made concerned individuals with no residence status, who were thus either sans papiers or "crime tourists" without any permanent residence in Switzerland.
The term ("foreigner criminality") since the 1990s has become a politically charged term, with the populist "black sheep" campaign for the "initiative for the extradition of criminal foreigners" of the Swiss People's Party
making international headlines in September 2007.
In April 2010, the director of the Federal Office for Migration (BFM), Alard du Bois-Reymond, issued a statement on the large number of unfounded requests for asylum by nationals of Nigeria
in particular.
Du Bois-Reymond said that 99.5% of asylum seekers of Nigerian origin were abusing the asylum system, entering Switzerland with the intention of pursuing petty crime and drug dealing.
The Nigerian ambassador to Switzerland, Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, objected to du Boi-Reymond's statement as an undue generalization.
was committed by immigrants. A 2008 study found that the crime rate of Eastern European immigrants was the same as that of the indigenous population.
The Center for Immigration Studies
in a 2009 report argued that "New government data indicate that immigrants have high rates of criminality, while older academic research found low rates. The overall picture of immigrants and crime remains confused due to a lack of good data and contrary information." This view is disputed by Tony Waters and others.http://www.ethnography.com/2010/02/the-connection-between-crime-and-immigration-a-complicated-but-not-conflicted-issue/ who point out that some studies show that immigrants in the United States are often associated with lower levels of crime than native born.
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
.
Worldwide
The Handbook of Crime Correlates (2009), a review of studies of correlates with crime, states that most studies on immigrants have found higher rates of crime. However, this varies greatly depending on the country of origin with immigrants from some regions having lower crime rates than the indigenous population.Europe
A "new anti-immigrant" movement has become apparent in some European countries, especially the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Switzerland, during the early 21st century. The issue of immigrant crime plays an important role in the political debate in these countries.Sweden
Immigrants are overrepresented in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
's crime statistics. During the period 1997-2001, 25% of the almost 1,520,000 offences were committed by people born abroad, while almost 20% were committed by Swedish-born people with a foreign background. Those from North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
were overrepresented.
Switzerland
In SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, 69.7% of prison population had no Swiss citizenship, compared to 22.1% of total resident population (as of 2008).
The figure of arrests by residence status is not usually made public. As in 1997 the conviction rate of Swiss citizens fell below 50% for the first time, a special report was compiled by the Federal Department of Justice and Police (published in 2001) which for the year 1998 found an arrest rate per 1000 adult population of 2.3 for Swiss citizens, 4.2 for legally resident aliens and 32 for asylum seekers.
21% of arrests made concerned individuals with no residence status, who were thus either sans papiers or "crime tourists" without any permanent residence in Switzerland.
The term ("foreigner criminality") since the 1990s has become a politically charged term, with the populist "black sheep" campaign for the "initiative for the extradition of criminal foreigners" of the Swiss People's Party
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
making international headlines in September 2007.
In April 2010, the director of the Federal Office for Migration (BFM), Alard du Bois-Reymond, issued a statement on the large number of unfounded requests for asylum by nationals of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
in particular.
Du Bois-Reymond said that 99.5% of asylum seekers of Nigerian origin were abusing the asylum system, entering Switzerland with the intention of pursuing petty crime and drug dealing.
The Nigerian ambassador to Switzerland, Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, objected to du Boi-Reymond's statement as an undue generalization.
United Kingdom
It was reported in 2007 that more than one-fifth of crime in LondonCrime in London
Greater London is served by three police forces; the Metropolitan Police which is responsible for policing the vast majority of the capital and is geographically divided into 32 Borough Operational Command Units, the City of London Police which is responsible for The Square Mile of the City of...
was committed by immigrants. A 2008 study found that the crime rate of Eastern European immigrants was the same as that of the indigenous population.
United States
The Handbook of Crime Correlates states that unlike studies outside the US, a majority of studies in the US have found lower crime rates among immigrants than among non-immigrants. Again, the country of origin may be more important than immigrant status itself.The Center for Immigration Studies
Center for Immigration Studies
The Center for Immigration Studies is a non-profit research organization that advocates Immigration reduction in the United States. Founded in 1985, its executive director is Mark Krikorian. As a 501 organization, it is subject to limits or absolute prohibitions on engaging in political...
in a 2009 report argued that "New government data indicate that immigrants have high rates of criminality, while older academic research found low rates. The overall picture of immigrants and crime remains confused due to a lack of good data and contrary information." This view is disputed by Tony Waters and others.http://www.ethnography.com/2010/02/the-connection-between-crime-and-immigration-a-complicated-but-not-conflicted-issue/ who point out that some studies show that immigrants in the United States are often associated with lower levels of crime than native born.
See also
- Race and crimeRace and crimeObservations of relationships between race and crime have been part of criminological theory since its early inceptions. In early criminology this relation was used to argue that certain racially defined populations were more prone to crime than others, and in turn as motivation for policies of...
- Opposition to immigrationOpposition to immigrationOpposition to immigration is present in most nation-states with immigration, and has become a significant political issue in many countries. Immigration in the modern sense refers to movement of people from one nation-state to another, where they are not citizens. It is important to distinguish...
- Criticism of multiculturalismCriticism of multiculturalismCriticism of multiculturalism questions the multicultural ideal of the co-existence of distinct ethnic cultures within one nation-state. Multiculturalism is a particular subject of debate in certain European nations that were once associated with a single, homogeneous, national cultural identity...
- ÜberfremdungÜberfremdungÜberfremdung , literally "over-foreignization", is a German-language term used in politics to suggest an excess of immigration. The word is compounded from über meaning "over" or "overly" and fremd meaning "foreign".-Political uses:...
- youth bulge
Further reading
- Martínez, Ramiro; Valenzuela, Abel. (eds) (2006). Immigration and Crime: Race, Ethnicity, and Violence. New York University Press.
- Rubén G. Rumbaut; Walter A. Ewing, The Myth of Immigrant Criminality special report for the Immigration Policy Center, 2007.