It is often claimed that immigrants increase the crime rate in the places where they live. However, this is not true, as a study by the ifo Institute in Munich shows. Experts evaluated police crime statistics by district in Germany for the years 2018 to 2023.
“We find no correlation between a rising proportion of foreigners in a district and the local crime rate. The same applies in particular to people seeking protection,” writes ifo researcher Jean-Victor Alipour in a statement. ”The results are consistent with findings from international research, according to which migration and flight have no systematic influence on crime in the host country.”
No higher propensity for crime among migrants
The fact that migrants are over-represented in crime statistics is not due to their origin, but to other reasons. They are younger than the German population. The proportion of men is larger. In addition, they tend to move to urban areas where the general risk of crime is higher – for locals, too.
“If you take these factors into account, there is no statistical correlation between the regional proportion of foreigners and the crime rate,” says Ifo researcher Joop Adema. The assumption that foreigners or asylum seekers have a higher propensity for crime than demographically comparable locals is not tenable.
Even for particularly serious crimes such as homicide or sexual assault, the study finds no statistical correlation with an increasing proportion of foreigners or asylum seekers.
Integration in the labor market is key
According to the press release, crime among migrants can be prevented primarily by integrating them into the labor market. It would make sense, for example, to more easily recognize foreign degrees and to distribute asylum seekers according to regional labor demand. Ifo researcher Alipour: “Migrants would thus be able to earn a legal living more quickly. This helps to prevent criminality.”
Further information at:
ifo | More foreigners do not increase the crime rate
tagesschau | Migration does not increase crime, according to a study
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