Comparing Finland and Germany: misleading statistics fuel migration-crime link in Finland

The ifo Institute in Munich published a study in February 2025 concluding that migration to Germany does not lead to an increase in crime rates. Researchers analysed police crime data from 2018 to 2023 across German districts and found no correlation between a higher share of foreigners and increased local crime. “We find no correlation between an increasing share of foreigners in a district and the local crime rate. The same applies in particular to refugees,” Jean-Victor Alipour of the ifo Institute said.