19 January 2007

AMSTERDAM — Asylum seekers are far more likely to be suspected of committing crimes than Dutch citizens, a police investigation has indicated.

The investigation also indicated that boredom is one of the main reasons for criminal activity among asylum seekers, Radio Netherlands reported.

But lingering problems from traumas that asylum seekers have not yet come to terms with are also thought to be reason for the higher criminality rate.

While awaiting a decision from the immigration service IND on their application to stay in the country, asylum seekers are confined to refugee centres.

The police report says that 5.4 percent of asylum seekers are suspected of having committed a crime compared with 1.5 percent of Dutch citizens aged over 12.

Most of the crimes are relatively minor such as shoplifting.

But the Dutch Council for Refugees said the number of asylum seekers committing crimes could be significantly reduced if the asylum procedure was accelerated.

"In addition, if the repatriation policy is made more effective so that people no longer end up on the street, the risk of an offence is much smaller," council chief Edwin Huizing said.

Huizing was also satisfied by the thoroughness of the investigation.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2007]

Subject: Dutch news

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