Crimes by laborers on the rise, researchers say

The number of crimes committed by migrants in Shanghai has sharply increased during the past decade, caused mainly by their poor living conditions, a research study has found.

The findings were based on research conducted by the Minhang District People's Court on the district's crimes between 1997 and 2006.

The research found that the number of non-Shanghainese criminals in the district jumped from 697 in 2002 to 1,971 in 2006.