Denmark: Immigrant youth leave crime after 24

A report from the Rockwool Foundation Research Unit reports that young immigrants leave crime and around the age of 24 are not more criminal than the Danes, reports Berlingske Tidende.

Young immigrants under 19 commit much more property crimes than Danes of the same age. But after the age of 24, the differences are not so visible. Only Lebanese, Pakistani and Arabs are sentenced for more crimes than Danish youth in that age group, when correcting for social and economic situation.

Torben Tranæs, head researcher, told Radioavisen, that Somalis, for example, commit less crimes than Danes, when they reach their twenties.

Torben Tranæs says it's difficult to conclude what is the main reason for the drop in crime. Once they reach their twenties, youth commit less property crimes, and the drop is steeper for immigrants. He says maybe it has to do with an increased wish for integration once people are older.

The study points to Arabs as the most criminal ethnic group. As teenagers and up to the age of 29, it's the only ethnic group that continues to commit more crimes than Danish youth.

The study also shows that young second generation immigrants are generally more criminal than immigrants from the same country who grew up in their homeland.

Source: DR (Danish). See also study page (Danish)

See also: Odense: The hoodlums, Copenhagen: Majority of crime suspects are foreigners, Denmark: Demand for study on ethnic criminiality

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't the reason for the drop in crime be the imprisonment of the criminals? Very difficult to commit crimes at 25 if at 23 you begin serving a 5 year sentence.