Study Shows Immigrants Bring Low Crime

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/...ucescrimerates

Contrary to popular stereotypes, areas undergoing immigration are associated with lower violence, not spiraling crime, according to a new study. ADVERTISEMENT Harvard University sociologist Robert Sampson examined crime and immigration in Chicago and around the United States to find the truth behind the popular perception that increasing immigration leads to crime. Sampson's study results, detailed in the winter issue of the American Sociological Association's Contexts magazine, summarizes patterns from seven years' worth of violent acts in Chicago committed by whites, blacks and Hispanics from 180 neighborhoods of varying levels of integration. He also analyzed recent data from police records and the U.S. Census for all communities in Chicago. Based on assumptions that immigrants are more likely to commit crimes and settle in poor, disorganized communities, prevailing wisdom holds that the concentration of immigrants and an influx of foreigners drive up crime rates. However, Sampson shows that concentrated immigration predicts lower rates of violence across communities in Chicago, with the relationship strongest in poor neighborhoods. Not only does immigration appear to be "protective" against violence in poverty areas, violence was significantly lower among Mexican-Americans compared to blacks and whites. Sampson refers to this as the "Latino Paradox," whereby Hispanic Americans do better on a range of social indicators - including propensity to violence - than one would expect, given their socioeconomic disadvantages. Sampson's analysis also revealed that first-generation immigrants were 45 percent less likely to commit violence than third-generation Americans. Controlling for immigrant generation even narrowed the violence gap between whites and blacks in Chicago by 14 percent. "The pattern of immigrant generational status and lower crime rates is not restricted to Latinos; it extends to help explain white-black differences as well," Sampson said. "We're so used to thinking about immigrant assimilation that we've failed to fully appreciate how immigrants themselves shape their host society." Immigration is therefore not just a Hispanic issue; although little noticed, increasing foreign-born diversity among blacks (e.g., from the West Indies and Africa) is associated with lower crime even within segregated black communities. Sampson's arguments are supported at the national level as well. Significant immigration growth - including by illegal aliens - occurred in the mid-1990s, peaking at the end of the decade. During this time, the national homicide rate plunged. Crime dropped even in immigration hot spots, such as Los Angeles (where it dropped 45 percent overall), San Jose, Dallas and Phoenix. Reasons commonly cited for the apparent paradox of first generation immigrants, especially Mexicans, are motivation to work, ambition and a desire not to be deported, characteristics that predispose them to low crime. Sampson also argues that contemporary immigrants tend to come from a multitude of cultures around the world where violence isn't rewarded as a strategy for establishing reputation or preserving honor, as in American "street culture." "In today's society," Sampson said, "immigration and the increasing cultural diversity that accompanies it generate the sort of conflicts of culture that lead not to increased crime but nearly the opposite."

There you go. A Harvard scientist says immigrants, even illegals, bring low crime. It sort of makes sense.

It does make sense, I would think they would not want to get in any trouble in general.

At the same time, any crime if any from people who are here in our country illegally is too much crime.

Let's not forget that every single one of these people are already criminals.

While I see your point that they are all criminals, let me present it from a different perspective.

Why do they come here illegally? Probably because it's incredibly hard to come here legally. It costs an INSANE amount of money for someone who has no money, and it's a very long and painstaking process. I wouldn't necessarily say that they are demonstrating civil disobediance or anything like that, but they're doing what they think they should be allowed to do even though the government says they shouldn't.

How does this make them any different from someone who smokes pot illegally?

My main point is, the system needs to be changed. Make it easier for people to come here legally, and they'll stop coming illegally. If they stop coming here illegally, they are no longer undocumented. If they are no longer undocumented, they are no longer such a threat to national security.

Interesting post there.

My main point is, the system needs to be changed. Make it easier for people to come here legally, and they'll stop coming illegally. If they stop coming here illegally, they are no longer undocumented. If they are no longer undocumented, they are no longer such a threat to national security.

The test alone they have to pass on US history is a very difficult process, I remember I think Comedy Central going around NYC asking people questions that show up on that test and they only had like a 5% passing rate, which was horrible out of 200 people or so.

I remember I think Comedy Central going around NYC asking people questions that show up on that test and they only had like a 5% passing rate, which was horrible out of 200 people or so.

Doesn't surprise me. Americans are stupid.

Thanks to government schools.

Interesting. I hate the immigrants though, my mother cannot get a job because the canadian government is helping the immigrants first, she cant get a full time job now, she doesnt have canadian citizenship, shes an american citizen, my mom called to get her immigration papers but it turns out they have been archived because they are datin from 1920 to 1930s when my mother was not even born yet. My moms been in canada for 53 years and they cant help her out with all this, my mother was the only white person at the interview she went to, I bet ya the immigrants got the job, is it my moms age, color or does she have to get a canadian citizenship? what the fuck is wrong with the government these days, OK ILL LET MY MOM WALK AROUND WITH A BURQUA OR TALK LIKE A NEW IMMIGRANT, SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEN! The immigrants seem to get everything quickly, how about the jobless people that been here for a long time, she got fired from her other job for no reason, and shes going after her boss who fired her. But my mom is working part time and she says its not enough, cant the government help her and other people who have been in Canada for a long time and not the immigrants first. IMMIGRANTS, BACK OFF! WAIT YOUR TURN, WE R MORE IMPORTANT, NOT U GUYS!

Welcome to a capitalist society.

Canada is actually probably more on the socialist side, actually. I think that's what I had read about it, anyway.