Sarnecki's new study: More immigrants do not lead to more violent crimes

A higher proportion of foreign-born residents in a municipality does not result in more violent crimes in that municipality. This is claimed in a recent report for which Professor Emeritus Jerzy Sarnecki is the lead researcher, and which has been highlighted by, among others, the state radio.

Behind the report are seven criminologists from various institutions around the country, led by well-known media figure Professor Emeritus Jerzy Sarnecki.

– Jerzy Sarnecki is actually the main author. I have conducted the analyses. That’s why I will be responsible for the scientific aspect, explains lecturer Amber Beckley, the second name on the report, to Samnytt.

Does not explain the violent crimes

The eight researchers have examined the number of reported violent crimes in Sweden’s municipalities from 2000 to 2020, and compared them with the proportion of registered foreign-born residents in each municipality.

– Almost all have increased. There was almost no municipality during these twenty years where violent crimes decreased, Beckley reveals.

In particular, the researchers have looked at the twenty municipalities where violent crimes increased the most, and the twenty municipalities where violent crimes increased the least.

Jerzy Sarnecki and Amber Beckley. Photo: Stockholm University

– What we have shown is that the proportion of immigrants in the municipalities with the greatest increase in violent crimes was not significantly different from the proportion in the municipalities with the least increase, says Beckley.

– The proportion of immigrants does not explain the violent crimes in a municipality, and it cannot explain the increase in the twenty municipalities.

It should be noted that the researchers have only included registered foreign-born residents in their study, not asylum seekers who are not registered or those commonly referred to as second-generation immigrants who were born in Sweden.

Sweden as a global model

Sarnecki’s and Beckley’s study has been published by Springer Nature, and it discusses Sweden and the Nordic countries as a “global model”.

– We tried to link the situation in Sweden to a broader audience. Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are often seen as a model for other countries. For example, with parental leave, which we have here in Sweden, Beckley argues.

Should it be understood that the world should not be deterred by a large intake of immigrants or refugees?

– It’s very tough to say, but I think that maybe in Sweden we shouldn’t rely on immigration as a crime prevention method. If we do something with immigration policy, it probably won’t have a significant effect on crime.

– And if we in Sweden think that we should combat crime in this way, it may not be good for the rest of the world. The world looks up to Sweden on how to be. If we make a mistake, it’s not good, concludes Amber Beckley.