What remains of the crime statistics presented on Monday? Once again there is the impression that a large proportion of suspected criminals come from abroad. For example from Germany. Which the Ministry of the Interior does not deny – and has now presented a five-point plan.
This means, first and foremost, that action must be taken against “foreign crime” (Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, ÖVP) and against that of “youth.” Both are on the rise in Austria. 45 percent of reported cases are now considered foreign crimes (crime committed by a non-Austrian citizen).
More and more ‘young’ people
Depending on the state, there is also an increase among “young people”. Last year, youth crime was almost twice as high as ten years ago – but there were also many ‘digital’ crimes (bullying, etc.), which are of course increasingly reported via WhatsApp and the like.
What does the Ministry of the Interior want to do about these developments? A five-point plan was presented on Monday, which can be derived ‘directly’ from crime statistics.
Firstly, 38 new criminal assistance services in all regions of Austria with more than 700 additional jobs in the coming years, says Interior Minister Karner.
The pressure on the smuggling mafia concerns the second point. “The smugglers avoid Austria,” he emphasizes.
The third point concerns juvenile crime, such as the creation of a corresponding task force. Discussions about criminal liability and weapons bans would also continue.
Regarding the fourth point – burglary crime – there will be more focus operations in this area in the future.
The fifth point concerns foreign crime. “There are certain nationalities that stand out and it is also necessary to set priority measures here,” says Karner.
Focus on border controls
I’m sorry, what? “Certain nationalities” should be subject to stricter controls? “Yes,” krone.at confirmed when asked by the Ministry of the Interior. But this has nothing to do with the infamous ‘ethnic profiling’ (creating perpetrator profiles or identity checks based on origin or skin color) – because this concerns border controls.
People coming from certain countries (Romania, Serbia, Hungary) will have to expect stricter checks at Austria’s borders. And probably also German citizens – because according to crime statistics they are the second most common foreign group of suspects in Austria, after Romanians.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
