Immigrant Generational Status and Everyday Deviance: A Sociological-Criminological Analysis Using NLSY97

• In Event: Roundtable: Immigration

Abstract

This study explores how immigrant generational status shapes engagement in minor deviant behaviors, framing these everyday infractions as reflections of legal socialization, acculturation, and intergenerational adaptation. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97), the analysis compares first-generation immigrants (foreign-born), second-generation immigrants (U.S.-born with foreign-born parents), and native-born citizens. Minor deviant acts—such as jaywalking, red-light violations, littering, petty theft, and marijuana use—are conceptualized as informal indicators of norm adherence and civic integration.
The research draws on social disorganization theory, acculturation stress models, and legal consciousness frameworks to contextualize behavioral differences. Preliminary insights suggest that first-generation immigrants may exhibit lower levels of deviance due to heightened legal awareness and cultural conservatism, while second-generation immigrants demonstrate increased engagement, possibly tied to acculturation challenges and shifting normative boundaries.
Given the exploratory nature of the project, appropriate statistical techniques (e.g., t-tests or regression models) will be selected based on sample distribution and variable availability. The roundtable will engage with challenges in generational categorization, data limitations, and implications for immigrant integration, delinquency prevention, and public policy. By centering everyday deviance, this study sheds light on the nuanced ways immigrant youth navigate legal and cultural expectations in the U.S. context.

Author

• Alican Ibacik, Middle Tennessee State University