BKA (Federal Criminal Police Office) — Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik 2023
Germany: Immigration & Crime
BKA Official Data3.7× suspect rate ratio
BKA 2023: non-German nationals 5.36% suspect rate vs 1.46% for German nationals (~3.7×). Age structure, urban concentration, and socioeconomic factors explain most of the gap.
Key figures (BKA PKS 2023)
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Non-German nationals — suspect rate (per capita) | 5.36% | BKA PKS 2023 |
| German nationals — suspect rate (per capita) | 1.46% | BKA PKS 2023 |
| Ratio (non-German / German) | ~3.7× | BKA PKS 2023 (calculated) |
| Data type | Police crime statistics (PKS) — suspects, not convictions | BKA |
Factors explaining the gap
- Age composition: Non-German nationals have a higher share of young men — the demographic group with the highest crime rates across all populations. This alone accounts for a substantial portion of the raw ratio.
- Urban concentration: Most non-German nationals live in large cities, which have higher crime rates overall regardless of population origin.
- Socioeconomic status: Average income and employment rates are lower among non-German nationals. Poverty correlates with crime rates across all nationalities.
- Suspects vs. convictions: PKS counts suspects, not convictions. Policing intensity and reporting patterns can affect who is counted.
- Nationality vs. immigrant background: Second-generation immigrants born in Germany often hold German nationality and are counted in the "German national" category. BKA does not classify by immigrant background — only by nationality.
Cross-country comparison
| Country | Ratio (immigrant / native-born) | Source & measure |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 3.7× suspect rate | BKA PKS 2023 (by nationality) |
| Sweden | ~2.5× suspect rate | BRÅ 2021 (by immigrant background) |
| Denmark | 2.6× suspect rate (age-adjusted) | DST (immigrants & descendants vs. Danish-origin) |
| United States | No systematic federal cross-tabulation | FBI UCR / BJS (no immigration status variable) |
Direct comparison requires caution: Germany classifies by nationality; Sweden and Denmark classify by immigrant background. These are different population categories.
Primary source
- Bundeskriminalamt (2023). Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS) 2023. www.bka.de