All crime
- Native ref.
- 1.0×
- 1st gen all
- 2.5×
- 1st gen non-European
- 3.0×
- 2nd gen all
- 2.0×
- 2nd gen two foreign-born
- 3.2×
Crime · generation analysis
Crime outcomes per generation
BRÅ report 2021:9 is the first comprehensive suspect statistics in 25 years. It shows that over-representation persists — and in several categories increases — in the second generation. Data is presented alongside a detailed method section.
Sources: BRÅ 2021:9, Swedish Prison Service annual report 2024.
Last updated: View changelog
Fact pageSources checked
How we measureInterpreting BRÅ data →
Risk of suspicion per crime type
Reference (1.00) = native-born with two native-born parents, age-standardised.
Violent crime
- Native ref.
- 1.0×
- 1st gen all
- 2.3×
- 1st gen non-European
- 3.1×
- 2nd gen all
- 1.9×
- 2nd gen two foreign-born
- 2.8×
Sex crime
- Native ref.
- 1.0×
- 1st gen all
- 2.1×
- 1st gen non-European
- 2.7×
- 2nd gen all
- 1.5×
- 2nd gen two foreign-born
- 1.8×
Robbery
- Native ref.
- 1.0×
- 1st gen all
- 4.1×
- 1st gen non-European
- 5.6×
- 2nd gen all
- 3.8×
- 2nd gen two foreign-born
- 5.7×
Theft crime
- Native ref.
- 1.0×
- 1st gen all
- 2.9×
- 1st gen non-European
- 3.5×
- 2nd gen all
- 2.1×
- 2nd gen two foreign-born
- 3.3×
Drug offences
- Native ref.
- 1.0×
- 1st gen all
- 1.7×
- 1st gen non-European
- 2.0×
- 2nd gen all
- 1.6×
- 2nd gen two foreign-born
- 2.4×
| Crime type | Native ref. | 1st gen all | 1st gen non-European | 2nd gen all | 2nd gen two foreign-born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All crime | 1.0× | 2.5× | 3.0× | 2.0× | 3.2× |
| Violent crime | 1.0× | 2.3× | 3.1× | 1.9× | 2.8× |
| Sex crime | 1.0× | 2.1× | 2.7× | 1.5× | 1.8× |
| Robbery | 1.0× | 4.1× | 5.6× | 3.8× | 5.7× |
| Theft crime | 1.0× | 2.9× | 3.5× | 2.1× | 3.3× |
| Drug offences | 1.0× | 1.7× | 2.0× | 1.6× | 2.4× |
Population share vs share of suspects
BRÅ 2021:9: share of population 15+ compared to share of all suspects.
Native-born, two native parents
- Share of population
- 73 %
- Share of suspects
- 45 %
Second generation (one or two foreign-born parents)
- Share of population
- 11 %
- Share of suspects
- 17 %
First generation (foreign-born)
- Share of population
- 16 %
- Share of suspects
- 38 %
| Group | Share of population | Share of suspects |
|---|---|---|
| Native-born, two native parents | 73 % | 45 % |
| Second generation (one or two foreign-born parents) | 11 % | 17 % |
| First generation (foreign-born) | 16 % | 38 % |
How we measurePrison data →
Share of foreign citizens in prison
Prison Service annual report. Refers to the entire prison population, not only new intakes.
2010
- Andel utländska medborgare
- 25 %
2014
- Andel utländska medborgare
- 28 %
2018
- Andel utländska medborgare
- 30 %
2020
- Andel utländska medborgare
- 31 %
2022
- Andel utländska medborgare
- 31 %
2024
- Andel utländska medborgare
- 32 %
| Year | Andel utländska medborgare |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 25 % |
| 2014 | 28 % |
| 2018 | 30 % |
| 2020 | 31 % |
| 2022 | 31 % |
| 2024 | 32 % |
Interpretation and limitations
- Suspicion is not the same as conviction — roughly 30–35% of suspicions lead to prosecution (BRÅ).
- Reporting propensity may vary between groups and areas.
- BRÅ 2021:9 controls for age and sex but not socioeconomics — part of (but not all) the difference is explained by socioeconomics in BRÅ’s earlier analyses.
- Prison data refers to citizenship, not origin — foreign citizens with Swedish background and vice versa occur.
- BRÅ paused suspect statistics 1996–2021 — no continuous time series over 25 years is available.