Social Issues in Paris

Unemployment in Paris and the Île-de-France region tends to be lower than the national average, though some lower-income areas, such as the Département de Seine-Saint-Denis north of Paris, have higher rates.

In some of the Île-de-France suburbs, exacerbated racial tension periodically leads to spurts of violent confrontations with police.

Appalling living conditions in many of the suburbs’ derelict housing projects and chronic absenteeism from school encourage widespread drug trafficking, often involving children.

In some of the housing projects, the drug trade has become the major source of income.

A similar pattern is prevalent in the poor housing projects of inner Paris, notably in the north, northeast, and south.

Crime is on the increase in inner Paris as well, on the streets and even more drastically on the Métro.

Unemployment, racial tensions, illegal immigration, and a lack of successful civic measures to tackle the issues account for this rise in crime.