The Socio-Economic Determinants of Crime in Sweden, 2015-2020

Abstract: This paper addresses the pressing problem of the surge in crime in Sweden, which has led to substantial uncertainty about its underlying causes. By investigating the correlation between socio-economic factors and crime on a municipality level from 2015 to 2020, we aim to provide valuable insights into understanding and effectively tackling this issue. Specifically, we examine the role of male immigrants, income, education level, and population density, contributing to the field of economics by shedding light on potential economic policies that can effectively reduce overall crime rates. Additionally, we focus on gun violence, considering Sweden's notorious reputation in recent years, to comprehensively analyze the relationship between these factors and crime. Our empirical analysis, employing the Fixed Effects Model and Pearson Correlation Matrix, explores these connections, revealing both inconclusive evidence regarding the link between immigration and crime and ambiguous conclusions for the remaining independent variables. These findings have important implications for policymakers striving to address the urgent problem of rising crime in Sweden.