International Students and Crime

• In Event: International Perspectives on Youth Violence, Victimization and Delinquency

Abstract

International students and crime is an issue of major international concern, impacting on the lucrative international student market, international relations, host countries’ reputations as tolerant and safe and, perhaps most significantly, the safety and security of international students as well as the broader population. While crimes committed by and against international students have attracted a great deal of media attention and public commentary and debate in both sending and host countries there has been little research that systematically describes, analyses and reflects on the phenomena. Drawing on 150 in-depth interviews with international students and key informants across the US, the UK and Australia, this paper presents an overview of a soon to be published book that will make a major contribution to this void by providing the first detailed account of international students and crime. The study suggests that international students are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of crime. They are also thought to be more vulnerable to crime compared to domestic students. The most common forms of crimes relating to international students are believed to be theft, fraud and gender-based violence.

Author

• Helen Forbes-Mewett, Monash University