The Queen to Present Criminology Prize to Researchers Debunking Crime Myths

Two methodical researchers will receive the 2026 Stockholm Prize in Criminology at the ceremony in City Hall on June 9. By testing controversial claims against the full body of scientific evidence, the American scholars Charis E. Kubrin and Mark W. Lipsey have contributed knowledge that can influence both criminal justice policy and public debate.

The two researchers are described as scientific “myth-busters,” and their work has had a major impact on how we understand crime, migration, and rehabilitation. Through extensive research and systematic reviews of international studies, they have challenged two politically charged claims: that immigration generally leads to higher crime rates, and that rehabilitation of convicted offenders does not work.

Charis E. Kubrin, Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine, is recognized for her research on the relationship between immigration and crime. Her work shows that immigration has often not increased crime; in several cities in the United States, Canada, and Australia, it has instead coincided with lower crime rates. Kubrin’s research has demonstrated the need for more nuanced analyses of the effects of migration.

Mark W. Lipsey, Research Professor and Director of the Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt University, is honored for his long-standing work compiling research on rehabilitation programs. His meta-analyses of hundreds of studies show that such interventions can reduce reoffending among both young and adult offenders.

On June 11, the two laureates will give a seminar at the Department of Criminology.