51. SANCTUARY COUNTIES: CENTERS OF IMMIGRANT REFUGE OR HAVENS FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINALITY?
- Author
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Doucet, Jessica M., Burke, Jessica L., and Eargle, Lisa A.
- Subjects
OFFENSES against property ,CRIME statistics ,SOCIAL disorganization ,PUBLIC safety ,CRIME ,VIOLENT crimes - Abstract
Sanctuary places, such as counties, continue to be a contentious topic in the sociopolitical arena, with politicians debating whether these jurisdictions serve as havens for immigrants or contribute to increased criminal activity, arguing that they provide safe havens for criminals despite the lack of research to support their claims. Using county-level crime data from 2015 to 2019, this research examines the relationship between sanctuary status and various crime categories, including violent and property crimes, employing negative binomial regression to analyze the effects of sanctuary status on county-level crime counts. Findings indicate that sanctuary counties do not experience higher crime rates; in fact, some evidence suggests lower crime rates in these areas. The results challenge stereotypes about immigrants and highlight the need for policies that support immigrant communities without compromising public safety, contributing to the broader understanding of immigration, sanctuary policies, and their societal impacts. Limitations, directions for future research, and policy implications are also discussed to consider social disorganization factors in other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024