Ethnic Minorities, Crime, and Criminal Justice in Germany

Abstract

Research on ethnic minorities' involvement in crime is highly sensitive in Germany. Most research is based on official statistics, which indicate that foreign minorities' crime involvement is higher than that of the German population, even when crime data are adjusted to take account of demographic differences (age, sex, etc.) and even if immigration offenses and nonresident foreigners' crime are disregarded. First-generation guest workers have had crime rates comparable to those of Germans. The second and third generations display sharp upward crime trends. Processing of foreign offenders by the justice system has received little attention. Existing research does not confirm hypotheses of discriminatory treatment in police and criminal court decision making, including in sentencing. The proportion of foreigners in the prison population has increased substantially, reaching 25 percent in 1994. In youth correctional facilities, the minority proportion has increased to 50 percent. In pretrial detention the share of foreigners is as high as two-thirds in many places.

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