The Effect of Immigrant Organizations on Neighborhood Crime in Houston, TX

• In Event: Neighborhood Research on Immigration, Crime and Policing

Abstract

Studies show that immigration is often associated with lower rates of crime. According to scholars, one mechanism that may explain the inverse relationship between immigrant concentration and crime rates is the presence of immigrant organizations in the community. In the present study, we examine the effects of immigrant concentration, immigrant-oriented organizations, and violent and property crime rates using data from the Houston Police Department (HPD), National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), and other sources for years 2017-2019. Findings show that immigrant concentration has no effect on crime, while the number of immigrant organizations in the community are positively associated with both violent and property crime. Our findings align with other studies investigating the relationship between community organizations more broadly and crime. We conclude by discussing the implications of our results, as well as ideas for future research.

Authors

• Javier Ramos, Sam Houston State University

• Jaylyn Magana, Sam Houston State University

• Yan Zhang, Sam Houston State University