05.12.2018

Kick-Off for the research project "Ethnic Segregation and Criminality" (ESKrim)

With a collective conference at the German Police College in Münster-Hiltrup on the 14th and 15th November 2018, a research consortium started to work on the project "Ethnic Segregation and Crime" (ESKrim).

The admission and integration of a large number of migrants and refugees represents a major challenge for cities and municipalities. These not only concern the areas of work, housing or education, but also security. The separation of ethnic groups in specific urban neighbourhoods, i.e. the so-called ethnic segregation, is classified as a risk factor that increases the risk for residents of becoming perpetrators or victims of a crime.

The ESKrim project will investigate this assumption through a comprehensive and interdisciplinary research approach. From different scientific perspectives, it will be examined whether this is the case and which risk factors and potentials can be identified and by which means they can be influenced. Through surveys, interviews and statistical evaluations, data on migration, integration and segregation will be collected and analysed together with situation pictures on crime as well as city- and neighbourhood-specific data. An ethical accompanying research and jurisprudential studies complement the social scientific empirical work.

New approaches to crime prevention will be developed on the basis of the findings obtained. In addition, a planning and decision-making model for the intervening police work will be drawn up and a catalogue of requirements for communication and cooperative strategies for action in migration-influenced neighbourhoods will be elaborated. At the same time, the legal framework and organisational possibilities for police and preventive measures will be highlighted.

At the IZEW, PD Dr. Jessica Heesen questions the so-called "parallel societies" and examines the potentials of modern communication in multi-ethnic cities.

The three-year project is funded with a total of 1.9 million euros by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the Research for Civil Security programme (see www.sifo.de) to promote "Civil Security - Issues of Migration". It is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Bernhard Frevel of the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration NRW.