Integration minister rejects including ethnicity in crime stats
DDP/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 9 Jan, 2009 CET.
Updated: Fri 9 Jan 2009 08:59 CET
Germany's commissioner for integration, Maria Böhmer, has rejected calls to include the ethnic background of criminals in police statistics by her own conservatives, daily Frankfurter Rundschau reported on Friday.
"This suggestion could give many immigrants who are willing to integrate in Germany a false signal if the varied causes of criminality are not taken into account at the same time," Christian Democrat Böhmer told the paper. "Changing criminal statistics without qualified causal research is not appropriate."
Family problems, loss of perspective, and experience with violence all lead to violence, she said.
Böhmer explained that although these factors affect Germans, crime statistics are still higher for immigrant youth. But she said immigrant organisations are working together to reduce crime in this area.
Comments
See Also
"This suggestion could give many immigrants who are willing to integrate in Germany a false signal if the varied causes of criminality are not taken into account at the same time," Christian Democrat Böhmer told the paper. "Changing criminal statistics without qualified causal research is not appropriate."
Family problems, loss of perspective, and experience with violence all lead to violence, she said.
Böhmer explained that although these factors affect Germans, crime statistics are still higher for immigrant youth. But she said immigrant organisations are working together to reduce crime in this area.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.