NCJ Number
143203
Journal
Crime, Law and Social Change Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (April 1993) Pages: 271-280
Date Published
1993
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Based on a discussion of recent crime patterns in Europe, the author shows that certain perspectives on possible relationships between race or ethnicity and crime may be unsatisfactory because they rely on the erroneous assumption that race and ethnic background constitute natural categories.
Abstract
Due to large waves of migration after World War II and the formation of ethnic minorities, European societies have come to be characterized by a new element of social differentiation that has led to a multiethnic society. Many studies show that ethnic minorities score disproportionately high on various crime indexes, although the over- representation of immigrants in police and juridical statistics may be due to discrimination and selective perception. The formation of multiethnic societies in Europe demonstrates prejudice, discrimination, racism, and political mobilization against immigrants, but the relationship between these phenomena and crime are not clearcut. Most European countries have made discrimination a criminal offense, yet all countries require immigrants to comply with the law. Further research on ethnic criminality should go beyond investigating correlations between race or ethnicity and crime and move ahead to develop a theoretical viewpoint based on the multiethnic societies European countries have become. Research should also examine contrasting crime profiles, police selectivity patterns, discrimination and racist violence, culture conflict, and internationally organized crime. 21 notes and references