Security and Criminality

Criminal-political reasons for the transfer of the Maghrebi population to Europe through the lens of securitization theory

Abstract

The relationship between security, criminality and human mobility has been present in human life for many decades. The aim of this paper is to use the lens of securitization theory to address the possible relationship between the Maghrebi migration phenomenon to Europe and its relationship with crime statistics in two countries: Spain and Italy. As will be developed later, this is a theory of international relations that establishes how previously securitized subjects, such as migrations in this case study, can end up becoming palpable threats to national security when they are introduced into the agenda of actors such as the media. Therefore, the methodology will combine qualitative and quantitative methods to elucidate this question: is there really a factual relationship between the two variables from the perspective of securitization theory? The results elucidated in the present study establish that the percentage of Maghrebi inmates in Spain stood at 30% in 2021, while in the transalpine country the figures are similar. Thus, throughout the conclusions, answers are given to questions underlying migration and its intrinsic relationship with security and criminality.