The limitations of official statistics in relation to the criminality of migrants in Greece

Georgios Antonopoulos*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Greece has become a very popular destination for people from developing countries, and especially the former Eastern bloc since the beginning of the 1990s. Although, historically, the country experienced emigration, neither it was ready for, nor accustomed to, the influx of people immigrating in recent years. The result has been the creation of a ubiquitous 'moral panic,' a phenomenon seemingly prevailing among the public, the media, and very importantly the police. There seems to be an urge, especially on the part of the police, to back up their 'dangerous migrant' argument based on the publication and analysis of official statistics. The purpose of this paper is to offer a critique of the limitations of official statistics in relationship to the criminality of migrants in Greece, showing that they are to a large extent incomplete, erratic, and thus cannot guide police practices when it comes to migrants.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)251-260
Number of pages10
JournalPolice Practice and Research
Volume6
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2005
Externally publishedYes

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