Mukaddime (Jun 2012)
THE IMPACT OF MIGRANT-RECEIVING STATES’ POLICIES ON CRIME RATES AND DRUG ABUSE AMONG IMMIGRANTS: THE CASES OF JAPAN, SWEDEN, USA, AND TURKEY
Abstract
When receiving and immigrant communities compared, higher crime rates are being observed among the immigrant groups more commonly than the native ones. This paper concentrates on the connection between receiving state’s “Migration policies” (as a cause) and “drug abuse/crime rates” (as an effect/result) and seeks to answer if there is a correlation between them? In this article this correlation is attempted to be reviewed by looking at the experiences of four countries; USA, Sweden, Japan and Turkey. The results show that in states, which have well designed immigrant adaptation policies, crime rates and drug abuse decrease among immigrants. Analysis of the cases of the aforementioned states showed that living conditions andmigration policies of receiving states/regions/cities have a great impact on crime rates. This article posits that properlydesigned; democratic, multicultural-migration policies with the support of an open economic system, helps the immigrants to improve their social capital and establish an order in new ‘home’.
