The Relationship of Immigration to Deviant Behaviour

Extract

[...] Immigration can be defined as leaving one's country to join another for multiple reasons (political, social, environmental, etc.). This is a huge phenomenon today, and according to the official UN website, it affects 272 million people in 2019. Often, a link is made in public opinion between the deviance and the migratory origin of an individual. According to Bereska T.M., this deviance can be defined as "often referring to a person, trait or behavior that is thought to be unusual, unsuitable or immoral". Thus, this link between migration and deviant behavior raises questions. [...]

[...] This raises the question of what is the cause of this over-representation? What are the causes of this link? This is a subject of debate, particularly in Europe when it comes to immigration. Thus, the argument that the safety of Aboriginal people is endangered is often put forward against immigration. If the political parties of extreme right-wing parties blame the origins of migrants, often with racist and xenophobic remarks, the real causes of this deviance seem to be more related to the socioeconomic characteristics. [...]

[...] First of all, it is interesting to look at the historical origin of this conception, especially with the example of the fear of Muslims in western societies. We can see that the rhetoric of President Bush and the media first focused on Muslims as an external threat, then on the internal enemy, starting in 2009. This exacerbates discrimination against Muslims in the United States. Also, we must analyze the impact of this discourse on the action of public authorities, such as the justice, police, or prefecture services. [...]

[...] Statistical errors are also possible, but the main cause of this over-representation remains discrimination. It is conveyed by the media and political discourse, and is the result of a true historical process. Foreigners are more controlled by the police and are judged more harshly by the justice system, which reinforces their deviant image. In addition, they are perceived as deviating by the local population, because of this discrimination everywhere, and there is a barrier between "them" and "us." The migrant is considered to be deviant because he is different from us in terms of physical appearance, culture, language or beliefs. [...]

[...] The European Union is also committed to promoting the cultural and integration of immigrants in their home countries. As a first step, it will therefore be necessary to analyze the causes of the over-representation of immigrants in European crime statistics. Also, it will be a matter of understanding the creation and impact of a stigmatizing discourse around immigrants in the media and not politics, which influences the conception of these individuals as deviants within the society that welcomes them. Causes of the Over-representation of Immigrants in European Crime Statistics There are several causes for the high statistical representation of individuals of migratory origin in crime statistics in Europe. [...]