This thesis will explore the phenomenon of immigrants bringing crime into America on a micro level. The study points out that the undocumented Brazilian community living in the city of Newark, NJ are rarely involved with crimes. In fact, their strong familial ties, cultural background and eagerness to work have potentially helped to lessen the crime rates in their neighbourhoods.
The research question and objective of this study is to answer the question whether does the undocumented Brazilian community living in Newark make crime rates worse?
The present research is focused on the city of Newark because the city provides a snapshot that paints the bigger picture of what happened in America. While the population of immigrants was increasing, the crime rates were dropping. According to the U.S. Census of 2010-2014, the city is the most populous in the state of New Jersey. Historically, Newark is known for its violent crimes, but more recently for its cultural revival and significant drop on the crime rates.
The relationship between immigration and crime has been debated for over decades, but it was not until recently that this idea started driving public policies; restricting visas, banning international entry, and strengthening border enforcement and now separating children from their families crossing the border illegally. But it is irrefutable that immigration policies should be driven by data, empirical evidence, and foreign relations practices; not by a sociological myth that perceives every undocumented immigrant as a criminal individual.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
Neoclassical Economics Model
Dual Labor Market theory
New Economics of Migration theory
Criminal Records
Safer Communities
Newark, NJ
Hypothesis
METHODOLOGY
Procedures
RESULTS
Demographics
Motivating Factors
Self-Reported Criminal Record
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to examine the relationship between undocumented immigration and local crime rates, specifically investigating whether the undocumented Brazilian community residing in Newark, NJ, contributes to or reduces crime within the city. The research challenges the public and political narrative that immigrants increase criminal activity by conducting a micro-level analysis of this specific population.
- The socio-economic impact of undocumented immigrants on the local community.
- The influence of demographic characteristics and work ethic on local crime rates.
- Theoretical frameworks explaining international migration, including the Neoclassical Model and Dual Labor Market theory.
- A quantitative and qualitative analysis of self-reported criminal behavior among Brazilian immigrants in Newark.
Excerpt from the Book
SELF-REPORTED CRIMINAL RECORD
In order to evaluate our participant’s criminal history and determine their impact on their community we divided crimes into three categories. Personal crimes, property crimes, and statutory crimes.
• All questions related to offenses against a person were included in the category of personal crime, for example: When we asked our participants if they have physically hurt someone. This question referred to a criminal activity that would been resulted from physically or mentally harming another person.
As shown on Figure 3. The vast majority of our participants, 48 participants, 94% confirmed that they have never physically hurt anyone.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: This chapter sets the context for the study by addressing the political debate surrounding immigration and crime, establishing the research objective to analyze the Brazilian community in Newark.
LITERATURE REVIEW: This section provides a theoretical foundation by discussing migration theories, such as the Neoclassical Model and Dual Labor Market theory, and reviewing existing empirical research on the link between immigration and public safety.
METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the research approach, including the creation of a 16-question survey distributed to 51 participants and the criteria used to ensure the focus remained on undocumented Brazilian immigrants in Newark.
RESULTS: This section presents the empirical findings gathered from the survey, categorizing data into demographics, motivating factors for migration, and self-reported criminal history.
DISCUSSION: This chapter interprets the survey results in light of established migration theories and existing literature, confirming that the participants are generally law-abiding and do not negatively impact local crime rates.
CONCLUSION: This final chapter synthesizes the research findings, confirming the initial hypothesis that the Brazilian community in Newark is rarely involved in criminal activity, and suggests that immigrants are a positive reinforcement to the community.
Keywords
Immigration, Newark, Brazilians, neoclassical model, dual labor market theory, new economics of migration theory, criminalization, crime, public safety, undocumented immigrants, demographics, survey, research, criminal record, community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on analyzing whether the undocumented Brazilian immigrant community living in Newark, NJ, contributes to or impacts the crime rates in that city.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers international migration theories, the socio-economic characteristics of immigrants, their motivations for moving to the U.S., and an analysis of their involvement in criminal activities compared to public perception.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The objective is to determine if the presence of the undocumented Brazilian community in Newark results in higher crime rates, testing the hypothesis that they are rarely involved in crime.
Which scientific methods are utilized in this study?
The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of survey data (to measure criminal history and demographics) with qualitative analysis (to understand motivations for migration).
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body integrates academic migration theories with original survey data collected from 51 undocumented Brazilian immigrants to evaluate their impact on the city of Newark.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include immigration, Newark, Brazilian community, neoclassical model, criminalization, crime rates, and public safety.
How does the study address the "criminal immigrant" narrative?
The study provides empirical evidence through its own survey and by citing comprehensive research to argue that this narrative is a sociological myth rather than an empirical fact.
Why was the Brazilian population in Newark specifically chosen for this study?
The researcher chose this specific group because Newark provides a unique demographic snapshot, and the Brazilian population represents a significant, yet under-researched, segment of the city's immigrants.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Demetrius Goncalves (Autor:in), 2018, Immigration and Crime. Insights into the Brazilian Community Living in Newark, New Jersey, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/920392
