2026
Charis E. Kubrin
Myth-busting research on crime rates and measures against crimes
Charis E. Kubrin was lauded by the jury for providing the world with invaluable insights on how immigration really affects crime or not, and how effects may vary across countries and many other factors. She discovered unexpected evidence about issues that many had deemed hopeless. Her research brought new hope to developing more rational strategies for managing immigration in democratic countries around the world.Charis E. Kubrin
Born 1970 in the US. Charis E. Kubrin was Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California-Irvine (United States) at the time of the award.
Unexpected findings on crime and immigration
Charis E. Kubrin was awarded the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology for myth-busting research on crime rates.
The work of Charis E. Kubrin and her colleagues provided unexpected findings, such as immigration leading to lower community crime rates in many cities in the US, Canada and Australia, while reporting more mixed results across Europe.
Disproved claims on immigration
The team also found many studies in which immigrant individuals had lower crime rates in their new communities than native-born residents. These analyses give an abundance of evidence disproving claims that immigration generally, let alone universally, raises crime in communities.
Kubrin’s work demonstrated the need for greater precision in immigration studies to replace simplistic generalizations. Since her first immigration and crime study in 2009 (with Graham Ousey), she found important nuances in the relationship between crime and immigration. For example, she showed that the total homicide rates were more often lower in US cities with higher immigration levels, while the gang related homicide was higher.
For example, she showed that the total homicide rates were more often lower in US cities with higher immigration levels, while the gang related homicide was higher.
Policy-relevant nuances
In her more recent work, Kubrin addressed even more policy-relevant nuances that can create differential effects of immigration on crime rates: legal vs. illegal immigrant status, first vs. second generation immigration, economic context and other factors.
This research had great potential as a scientific support in policy-making.