NCJ Number
194550
Journal
International Review of Victimology Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: 2001 Pages: 199-216
Date Published
2001
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This is a review of the results of research into the effect of immigrant status on the fear of crime victimization and actual crime victimization using data from a Swedish victim survey.
Abstract
The authors reviewed research from available victim surveys to determine what role immigrant status played in crime victimization and fear of victimization as compared to victimization and fear patterns among native Swedes. The authors provide an overview of the Swedish immigrant population in the post World War II era and the ethnic composition of that population. Immigrants composed approximately 18 percent of the Swedish population. In reaching their conclusions, the authors relied upon victim surveys collected by Statistics Sweden, the 1990 Stockholm Project, the 1992 replication of the Stockholm Project survey, and the 1993 Survey of Attitudes Towards Immigrants conducted by the Swedish Center for Immigration Research. For crimes against the person, the surveys were reviewed for information concerning three aspects of crime victimization: violence causing death, serious violence and threats of violence. Overall, immigrants were found to have a higher level of victimization as compared to native Swedes across all three aspects. For crimes against property, the surveys were reviewed for information concerning theft and property damage and the research does not indicate increased victimization among immigrants. Fear of victimization, however, was also found to be higher among immigrants. The authors further identified certain additional factors that increased victimization rates among both immigrant and indigenous groups, specifically, youth, being single, living in public housing and living in an urbanized environment. Additional research and victimization studies are recommended by the authors to refine these findings. 3 tables, 25 references