NCJ Number
228170
Journal
Homicide Studies Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2009 Pages: 315-324
Date Published
August 2009
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study compared the impact of immigration on homicide associated with various ethnic groups.
Abstract
Latinos continue to comprise the majority of America's foreign-born population, and it appears that the arrival of these groups was not associated with higher levels of lethal violence. Findings further add support for the notion that the communities into which immigrants settled were not necessarily more violent. Results suggest that at least in the city of Miami, Latino immigrant groups had a decidedly stronger negative association with homicide levels than non-Latinos. Furthermore, the predictive power of the immigration effect on homicide was consistent across Latino groups. Taken together, these findings offer general support of the notion that the communities into which many Latino immigrants settle were buffered against violence, despite their relatively high levels of structural disadvantage. Homicide did represent a serious public health issue, and it was important for policymakers to look beyond conventional explanations to enhance the effectiveness of reduction strategies. Data were collected from official police records and neighborhood-level information provided by the U.S. census, and the homicide data was pooled over a 3-year period, between 1997 and 2003. Table and references