The Hispanic Paradox: A Comparison of the Relationship between Violent Crime and Four Hispanic-Origin Groups in the United States

• In Event: Immigration, Assimilation, and Crime

Abstract

The Hispanic population has been the fastest growing population in the United States since the 1980s. According to social disorganization theory, areas with high Hispanic populations face disadvantages that might suggest these areas experience higher crime. The focus of the current study is specifically on violent crime. Some previous research has found that this may not be the case; however, the results of previous research have been mixed. This may be because not all the Hispanic people have the same country of origin. Different Hispanic groups have different experiences which may lead to different relationships to crime. The current study attempts to build on this literature by using data from the National Incident Based Reporting System and the American Community Survey to examine the relationship between the four largest Hispanic populations (Mexican, Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, and Cuban) in the United States and the violent crime rate. The results show that the relationship between Hispanic populations and the violent crime rates varies by country of origin.

Author

• Brenda F Prochaska, University of Arkansas at Little Rock