Minority paradoxes: ethnic differences in self-reported offending and official crime statistics

Immigrants and their native-born children tend to be overrepresented among crime suspects in Europe. Using a representative Dutch survey, we examine whether inhabitants of Turkish and Moroccan origin also self-report more crimes than the native Dutch. In addition, we test various explanations for et...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Leerkes, Arjen (Author)
Contributors: Martínez, Ramiro ; Groeneveld, Pim
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2019
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2019, Volume: 59, Issue: 1, Pages: 166-187
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Assimilation
Ethnic minorities
Immigration
Law enforcement
Self-reported crime
Description
Summary:Immigrants and their native-born children tend to be overrepresented among crime suspects in Europe. Using a representative Dutch survey, we examine whether inhabitants of Turkish and Moroccan origin also self-report more crimes than the native Dutch. In addition, we test various explanations for ethnic differences in crime, partly using variables that are unavailable in administrative data (socio-economic status [SES], perceived discrimination, neighbourhood disadvantage and control, family bonds, religiousness). We discover two ‘minority paradoxes’. Firstly, contrary to analyses using administrative data, both minorities have similar to lower self-reported crime rates compared to the majority group when age, sex, urbanization, SES and social desirability are controlled. Secondly, first-generation immigrants report fewer crimes than expected given their social disadvantage, thus indicating a notable ‘righteous migrant effect’.
ISSN:1464-3529
DOI:10.1093/bjc/az y021