Immigration Crime and Social Life in Texas

Introduction

In the past few decades, it has been observed that the world is changing rapidly, and the movement of people from one country to another has increased significantly. The United States is one of the most targeted destinations and has accommodated millions of immigrants in the last two centuries. There is continuous immigration of Hispanics and Latinos from the Mexican borders, which is one of the biggest threats to the population increase in the state of Texas. Living standards have decreased significantly in society. The main aim of the discussion is to examine the crimes that have increased with the crime rate throughout the country. There will also be a discussion about social disturbance and changes in living standards due to immigrants in society.

Given the increase in immigration and the movement of people from one country to another, which is presented as directly proportional to the increase in the state’s crime rate, the criminal justice system is considering immigration very prominently and wants to shut down immigration activities until the problems are resolved. The states have jurisdiction and have established significant punishments, but there is a problem tracking individuals involved in crime because there is no official evidence of their existence in the country or any proper location where they can be found.

In a nutshell, it is evident that crime across the state could be considered to have increased significantly because there are not enough law-enforcement officials to help enforce the laws properly and resolve conflicts between immigrants and the native community. A large number of people are affected by immigration, and the government is required to find a proper solution for reducing poverty and allowing immigrants to survive through employment and improved living standards.

Discussion

1. A link between immigration and the crime rate has been observed as reports show that most of the criminal records are of immigrants. The survey also shows that the immigrants are illiterate and, therefore, use any means possible to make a living for themselves (Butcher & Piehl, 1998).
2. There is a varying rate of violent crimes committed by different ethnic groups such as Latinos and Blacks. Reports from a survey conducted in 2000 show that Latinos are involved in minor offenses (Harris & Feldmeyer, 2013).
3. Reports show that immigration has led to numerous issues, such as those of homicide and burglary. San Antonio and Miami showed an increase in criminal offenses carried out by non-locals (Martinez Jr & Stowell, 2012).
4. The study shows that the issues of drug smuggling across borders and property crimes were both linked to the immigrant communities who had been actively participating in these criminal offenses (Richardson & Resendiz, 2006).
5. The recent immigration wave provided the authors with an opportunity to study the effects of this phenomenon on Texas. The study revealed that a link between immigration and crime rates is prevalent throughout Texas state (Stansfield et al., 2013).

Synthesis Matrix

Research Question

How does immigration influence crime across the state of Texas, and what are its direct effects on the social life of the native community?

Literature Review

Research Synthesis

This research tries to determine whether there is a link between immigration and crime, primarily since 1980. Southern, southeastern and southwestern borders are found to be easy gateways for the influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Hispanic and Latino immigrants make up the largest proportion of foreigners in southern border areas. Some sources (Martinez Jr & Stowell, 2012) believe that borders with Mexico nearer to coastal areas have been largely hit by burglary and homicide committed by foreigners, implicating Hispanic involvement. Another source (Harris & Feldmeyer, 2013) finds a decrease in violence involving Latino immigrants. However, it is admitted that there is a lack of adequate records to establish this as a fact. It labels the black population as the one responsible for most offenses in central and Mid-Atlantic states. Another finding (Butcher & Piehl, 1998) contradicts the previous suspicion of foreign involvement by presenting the fact that locally born youth are more likely to be involved in offenses than non-local youth.

Illiteracy and poverty have been labeled as the chief reasons for youth crime. Another source (Richardson & Resendiz, 2006) maintains that drug trafficking, property apprehension, and smuggling have increased significantly in the past two decades. The trend is most noticeable in Austin, San Antonio, and surrounding areas, and these crimes are usually committed by non-white males. Finally, an example of Austin is presented (Stansfield, Akins, Rumbaut, & Hammer, 2013) as a precedent for examining the assumption that immigrants have engaged in violent crimes. To prove this hypothesis, the author reiterates that the crime rate had increased substantially since the late 1980s, the period when the influx of immigrants was highest.

Critical Analysis

A critical analysis of the research from five sources finds few gaps, especially the ones defending the non-local population. The assumptions have been stated and conclusions have been drawn without an appropriate foundation. Jumping to conclusions has resulted in raising suspicion among the public that officials might have been victimizing non-native youth. As mentioned in one of the papers, there is insufficient material to prove the general innocence of foreigners from across the southern borders. Despite insufficient data, a counter-narrative can be established by comparing Texas, Florida and New Mexico with northern and central states. In these states, the crime rate has declined, with homicide declining the most, which is evident in the fact that the consistent increase in the crime rate in Texas must be one of the consequences of the enlarged Latin and Hispanic population. Crime and its fluctuating rate in native communities have become a topic of interest for many social groups because it raises concern for the well-being of people. Economic and social factors significantly influence the increasing crime rate in the present day. Most communities are affected by it, and the immediate response is widely seen in the form of people adapting to lesser means of acquiring a better financial standing. While considering crime in the United States, it can be observed that immigrants are poor and need work, which is lacking in the States, resulting in murder, stealing, housebreaking, arson, shoplifting, and violations of society’s laws. A smaller portion is contributed by the immigrating people who settle into these communities. Being jobless presents a wider threat to communities presently and a strong influential point for increasing crime. The nature and rate of crime vary in different regions. Drug trafficking in Texas is undoubtedly the most prevalent at the national level, but the number of violent crimes has remained lower than in other states.

For further investigation into the topic, it is imperative to understand every aspect of crime and the conditions that give rise to it. The affected communities present situations of financial downfall, a decrease in education and drugs affecting youth. Numerous surveys present findings that relate to the criteria of crime and the effects it has on individuals and the community overall. Governments have constantly been looking into ways to improve the overall situation and assist these communities in bringing about a positive change in their economic conditions. Research teams have been investigating the influence of drugs among the youth, which is becoming a concerning topic in the present era.

Conclusion

The research from the records and the recent surveys shows that crime all over the state has increased considerably. The lack of law enforcement officials has been causing serious problems as the number of immigrants and the crime rate continue to increase with the passage of time. Illiteracy and joblessness have been identified as the chief causes of the growth in violence in the 1990s. A strong relationship has been observed between increasing immigration and the growing crime rate. Immigrants, predominantly of Hispanic and Latin origin, have been posited as the ones most responsible for the surging number of criminals. This is established by the fact that Texas, which borders Mexico and receives a substantial number of Latin and Hispanic individuals, has seen the most violations. While most of the findings have focused on Hispanic and Latin male youth, a few findings have identified black individuals as the most violent people.

Annotated Bibliography

Butcher, K. F., & Piehl, A. M. (1998). Cross-city evidence on the relationship between immigration and crime. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 457–493

The authors examined the link between immigration and the crime rates that were prevalent in the United States. They highlighted the public concerns surrounding varying issues that had been brought about by immigration over the past few years. They analyzed different reports such as the Uniform Crime Reports and the Current Population surveys and found out that the cities that had immigrants in abundance exhibited high rates of crime. A survey was performed on the number of reports gathered over the years based on the involvement of the immigrant population in cases of criminal offenses. A direct link was found between the increasing crime rates and recent immigration. The survey also reported that most of the crimes were committed by young males; almost all of them were poorly educated and were nonwhites. It is evident from the survey carried out by the authors that factors such as illiteracy drive young immigrants to commit numerous criminal offenses.

Harris, C. T., & Feldmeyer, B. (2013). Latino immigration and White, Black, and Latino violent crime: A comparison of traditional and non-traditional immigrant destinations. Social Science Research, 42(1), 202–216.

The authors examined the reports from the previous records to analyze the relationship between the presence of different ethnic groups and the increase in crime rates. The reports that were examined showed that the Latino immigrants had been bypassing the traditional receiving communities. The influence of the new settlement has not been explored yet. However, the criminal records of the year 2000 from different parts of the United States, such as Texas, California and New York, showed that there is a varying rate of violent crimes committed by the different ethnic groups, such as the Latinos and the Blacks. The study showed that the recent Latino immigration was not associated with violence. However, there have been some reports on minor criminal offenses in non-traditional destinations carried out by these migrant ethnic groups. The authors highlighted the different ways that could be used for future research.

Martinez Jr, R., & Stowell, J. I. (2012). Extending immigration and crime studies: national implications and local settings. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 641(1), 174–191.

The authors studied the impact that immigration had on America since 1980, leading to issues of homicide and burglary. There have been endless debates over the decades that focused specifically on the relationship between immigration and the increase in violent crimes. The authors conducted research to analyze recent developments in crime rates due to immigration. The article first compared the cases of minor immigration influx, Latino growth and the decline in homicide. The purpose was to highlight the increase in the crime rate over the years in different parts of the United States. The focus of the article was also on the importance of the local settings such as Texas, San Antonio, Florida, and Miami. Time and place were also considered important factors impacting the rate of crimes across the U.S. The authors carried out a survey in which different ethnic groups that had been involved in homicide and other related crimes were examined. San Antonio and Miami showed an increase in criminal offenses carried out by non-locals.

Richardson, C., & Resendiz, R. (2006). On the edge of the law: Culture, labor, and deviance on the south Texas border. University of Texas Press.

The authors carried out research based on different factors that have arisen due to the increase in the number of immigrants in the United States over the years. An important aspect that came forward was the issue of drug smuggling across the borders and property crimes; both issues were linked to immigrant communities that had been actively participating in these criminal offenses. The study revealed that the criminal offenders were mostly young non-white males who had been either persuaded by others around them to participate in such activities or were illiterate enough to support themselves properly. Issues such as drug trafficking, smuggling, and property crimes have been creating problems for law enforcement.

Stansfield, R., Akins, S., Rumbaut, R. G., & Hammer, R. B. (2013). Assessing the effects of recent immigration on serious property crime in Austin, Texas. Sociological Perspectives, 56(4), 647–672.

The authors assessed the influence that immigration has had, especially regarding crimes related to property in different communities of Texas. The analysis showed that there had been a considerable increase in the number of people in Austin, Texas, since 1980. The increase in the population has led the intellectuals to believe that Austin has become an immigrant gateway to the United States. The recent immigration wave provided the authors with an opportunity to study the effects of this phenomenon on Texas. The study revealed a link between immigration and crime rates prevalent throughout Texas state. The research is significant as it brings to light evidence that supports the argument that crime rates have increased considerably due to the increase in immigration across the United States.

References

Butcher, K. F., & Piehl, A. M. (1998). Cross-city evidence on the relationship between immigration and crime. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 457–493.

Harris, C. T., & Feldmeyer, B. (2013). Latino immigration and White, Black, and Latino violent crime: A comparison of traditional and non-traditional immigrant destinations. Social Science Research, 42(1), 202–216.

Martinez Jr, R., & Stowell, J. I. (2012). Extending immigration and crime studies: national implications and local settings. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 641(1), 174–191.

Richardson, C., & Resendiz, R. (2006). On the edge of the law: Culture, labor, and deviance on the south Texas border. University of Texas Press.

Stansfield, R., Akins, S., Rumbaut, R. G., & Hammer, R. B. (2013). Assessing the effects of recent immigration on serious property crime in Austin, Texas. Sociological Perspectives, 56(4), 647–672.

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