Youth Violence and Immigrant Status: An Examination of the Effects of Neighborhood Disorganization and Micro-Level Strain Processes

• In Event: Macro-level Studies of Strain and Crime

Abstract

The Social Disorganization perspective has often been used to explain neighborhood variations in crime and delinquency. Yet Agnew (2006) also argues that neighborhood characteristics like concentrated disadvantage and residential mobility may influence micro-level strains experienced at the individual-level, which in turn may exacerbate offending. Recent immigrants to the United States experience a variety of strains at higher rates than the general public, however, immigrants have consistently offended at lower rates than their native counterparts. This raises questions as to the applicability of Agnew’s General Strain Theory to explaining immigrant offending rates. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods we explore the extent to which first generation immigrants experience higher levels of social and economic strains and whether the experience of strain better predicts variations in violent offending across immigrant generational statuses. We also include an examination of how neighborhood level strains and key community characteristics of social disorganization shape micro-level strain processes, and how these may also affect youth engagement in violence.

Authors

• Maria Joao Lobo Antunes, Towson University

• Michelle Manasse, Towson University