The Relationship between Irregular Migration and Crime: An Analysis of Public Crimes Committed by Irregular Migrants in Turkey

• In Event: Criminology of Mobility. Panel 5. Ethnicity and delinquency

Abstract

Migration brings about substantial social and cultural transformations in individuals and societies. Since individuals are the most affected during the migration process, their adaptation to the new society is not an easy task. This feature leads to a rise in the level of incompatibility between individuals and their new societies, resulting in slow integration. Migrant individuals are often excluded and labeled, which can lead to prolonged integration processes that may result in deviant or criminal behavior. Migration movements have surged in recent years, aligning with significant political, economic, and security developments, as well as chaos and turmoil in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Turkey, due to its geographical location, has been more severely affected by the social and security challenges and changes brought about by migrants from the region compared to other countries. This analysis, based on a fundamental framework, examines public order crimes committed by irregular migrants within the Gendarmerie General Command’s area of responsibility between the years 2012 and 2021. The crimes committed on public order were analyzed, along with the factors that led to them, using the crime data. As a result of the analysis, it was discovered that migrants do not have significantly higher crime rates than the general public perceives. However, it’s worth noting that the rate of public order crimes committed by migrants has been on the rise over the years. Furthermore, social and cultural recommendations have been proposed to foster harmony and expedite the integration of irregular migrants into society.

Author

• MURAT KOCANLI, BASKENT UNIVERSITY