YLE: Thors would like to see more precise statistics of crimes committed by foreign nationals
Astrid Thors
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Crimes committed by foreign nationals in Finland should be documented more accurately, suggested Minister for Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors (Swedish People's Party) during a radio panel discussion on the Finnish Broadcasting Company's Helsinki local radio on Monday.
According to Thors, we do not, for instance, have any information at present on whether someone who commits an offence is a long-term resident settled in this country, or whether it is a case of someone only here for a short time, or indeed possibly a criminal who has simply come to do a few quick jobs.
"It would be better if the data were ordered more accurately, so there would be more information as to the right measures to take over the matter", said Thors.
To some extent, all foreigners are tarred with the same brush, and this can lead to a hardening of attitudes.
In the same programme, National Coalition Party MP Arja Karhuvaara called for the nationality of criminals to be added to the statistical databases.
In the Finnish way of doing things, the media tend to refrain from disclosing the actual nationality or ethnic origins of individuals in connection with crime reports, unless it has some specific significance for the carrying out of the crime or for instance in the apprehending of the perpetrators by the police.
A vox-pop poll on Helsingin Sanomat's online portal asking the same question on Tuesday produced a resounding 79% in favour of a more precise recording of criminal offenders by nationality.
Around 10,000 people took part in the Yes/No assay.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 21.12.2010 - TODAY |
 YLE: Thors would like to see more precise statistics of crimes committed by foreign nationals |
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