Citation

Bircan T, Hooghe M. Eur. J. Criminol. 2011; 8(3): 198-212.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, European Society of Criminology, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1477370811403443

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In this article we investigate the assumed relationship between immigrant concentrations and crime at the community level in Belgium for the period 2001--6. Multivariate analysis shows that unemployment levels have a very strong effect on crime, thus rendering the ethnic composition of the community non-significant. We distinguished various groups depending on ethnic origins. Controls include the concentration of migrants and the number of incoming immigrants. Our conclusion is that deprivation (and especially unemployment) is more important than direct immigration effects in explaining community-level crime rates. We end with some theoretical and policy considerations regarding the relation between ethnic diversity and crime.