Crime, immigrants and Sweden

 

 The official numbers from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) and independent academic studies show specific data regarding the distribution of crime suspects by background: 

1. General Likelihood of Being a Suspect (Relative Risk) 

A landmark study by Brå tracked the percentage of individuals within specific demographic groups who were registered as crime suspects over a multi-year period: 

• Native Swedes (two native parents): 3.2% are registered as suspects.
• Born in Sweden (one foreign parent): 5.9% are registered as suspects.
• Foreign-born individuals: 8.0% are registered as suspects (making them 2.5 times more likely to be suspects than native Swedes).
• Born in Sweden (two foreign parents): 10.2% are registered as suspects (making them 3.2 times more likely to be suspects than native Swedes). 

2. Breakdown of Total Violent Crimes

When evaluating specific severe crimes over a wider scope, the total distribution heavily skews toward individuals with a foreign background: 

• Total Crime Suspects: An independent longitudinal study published in Springer noted that 58% of individuals suspected of total crimes on reasonable grounds had an immigrant background. 
• Lethal Violence (Murder/Manslaughter): The same study tracked that 73% of all suspects for murder, manslaughter, or attempted murder possessed a migrant background. 
• Robbery: 70% of registered suspects for robberies had a migrant background. 

3. Gang Warfare and Lethal Shootings 

A comprehensive Brå report focused explicitly on lethal violence in criminal networks highlights the starkest demographic disparities: 

• Perpetrators: Individuals with a foreign background account for 64% of all perpetrators in conflict-related gang violence.
• Victims: They also account for 80% of the victims of these lethal gang conflicts.
• Crime Environment: In 2022, gun-related violence hit an all-time peak with over 60 fatal shootings, a per capita rate three times higher than the rest of Scandinavia combined, heavily concentrated in disadvantaged immigrant suburbs. 

4. Sexual Assault Data 

A heavily publicized study from researchers at Lund University reviewed the backgrounds of individuals convicted of rape over several years: 

• Conviction Share: 59.2% to 63% of all convicted rapists in Sweden were first or second-generation immigrants.
• Foreign-Born Share: Of that total convicted group, nearly half were born completely outside of Sweden