Police clear immigrants of crime wave charge

A police report has said that the wave of immigrants from eastern Europe to the UK has not caused a rise in crime.  

According to the Guardian, the home secretary will be presented with the study when she meets senior police officers tomorrow.

 

The Association of Chief Police Officers report shows that offending rates among Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants are in line with the rest of the UK population.

 

Despite one million people moving to Britain from countries new to the EU, police figures show crime fell by nine per cent in the year to September 2007.

 

The report said: "While overall this country has accommodated this huge influx with little rise in community tension, in some areas sheer numbers, resentment and misunderstanding, have created problems."

 

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Jacqui Smith described the report as "very helpful" in "getting the issues into proportion".

 

"When new people come into any community it can bring pressures, those changes need to be responded to, and I want to work with chief police officers to find the best way of doing that.

 

"That is why I think tomorrow's meeting will be very useful and today's report is a help towards that as well."