CULTURE CONFLICT AMONGST FIRST-AND SECOND-GENERATION MIGRANTS

• NCJ Number: 43576
• Journal: Australia and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1977) Pages: 85-94
• Author(s): R D FRANCIS; A J CASSELL
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian and New Zealand Soc of Criminology
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

THE CULTURE CONFLICT HYPOTHESIS IS EXPLORED AS AN EXPLANATION OF CRIME RATES AMONG IMMIGRANTS IN AN ANALYSIS OF 1971 DATA ON PRISON POPULATIONS IN NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

Abstract

THE DATA SHOW SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCES IN PRISON RATES AMONG GROUPS OF FIRST-GERERATION IMMIGRANTS, I.E., PERSONS BORN OUTSIDE OF AUSTRALIA. IMMIGRANTS FROM NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRIA, AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES; THOSE FROM ITALY, GREECE, AND ASIA HAVE THE LOWEST. A COMPARISON AMONG GENERATIONS OF IMMIGRANTS SHOWS THAT THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS ARE AT THE HIGHEST RISK OF IMPRISONMENT, FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS AT THE LOWEST RISK, AND SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS MIDWAY BETWEEN THE TWO EXTREMES. WITHIN THE SECOND-GENERATION GROUP, THE HIGHEST RISK OF IMPRISONMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING A FOREIGN-BORN FATHER. THE FACT THAT PRISON RATES ARE HIGHER FOR SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS WITH ONE PARENT BORN OVERSEAS THAN FOR THOSE WITH BOTH PARENTS BORN OVERSEAS IS INTERPRETED TO MEAN THAT CONFLICT, AND THEREFORE CRIME, IS REDUCED WHEN BOTH PARENTS ARE BORN OVERSEAS AND ARE THUS MORE LIKELY TO SHARE THE SAME NORMS. OTHER EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT ON THE CULTURE CONFLICT HYPOTHESIS IS THE INCREASED RATE OF CONTACT BETWEEN SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS AND THE HOST COMMUNITY, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXTRAETHNIC MARRIAGE RATES AND PRISON RATES. FOUR TABLES ARE INCLUDED.