Migration alone does not make anyone criminal

EImmigration does not lead to more crime, according to a study by the ifo Institute from last week. Migrants do appear in police statistics more often than their share of the population would suggest.

But that is only because they are more likely than average to live in big cities, where poverty is greater, police checks are more frequent and the risk of becoming a criminal is higher for everyone. Socioeconomic factors that particularly affect migrants are crucial.

All of this is actually nothing new, many studies have come to similar conclusions. But it shows once again how far the heated debate about migration has strayed from the facts. The belief that immigrants in and of themselves pose a threat to public order has become almost a given. Other problems are also often explained in cultural terms, while science actually suspects socio-economic reasons.

Electoral successes of right-wing parties? An expression of mental neglect and not the result of an economic system that produces fear of decline, disappointment and anger. More depression? A medical problem, but certainly not related to precarious living conditions, inequality and a race for social recognition that is fuelled by the profit interests of social media platforms. The list could go on and on.

A diversionary strategy

It is not difficult to see why this view is so widespread. It provides simple answers. It is seductively easy to conclude from the high proportion of foreigners in the crime statistics that immigrants are simply more criminal. The interplay of various factors that affect migrants much more often is much more difficult to understand and convey. Good scientific communication and differentiated reporting in the media are necessary here.

But there are probably more reasons for the depressing state of the public debate on migration and crime. Cultural explanations are simply very convenient for certain groups. It is no wonder that the arguments are particularly loud from those who have a lot to lose if material conditions and their costs are discussed. Friedrich Merz flies a private plane, systematically links security with migration and promises tax cuts for the rich.

Alice Weidel, who is also estimated to be a millionaire, wants to abolish inheritance tax and would prefer to get rid of people with a migrant background completely. If they get their way, the problems they claim to be fighting will probably get worse. Anyone who makes life even more difficult for migrants is promoting poverty and exclusion. These are some of the main reasons why people really do become criminals.