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  5. Immigration, Crime, and Crime (Mis)Perceptions

Immigration, Crime, and Crime (Mis)Perceptions

  • Nicolás Ajzenman
  • Patricio Dominguez
  • Raimundo Undurraga
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics (Forthcoming)

Abstract

This paper studies the effects of immigration on crime and crime perceptions in Chile, where the foreign-born population tripled in less than ten years. We document null effects of immigration on crime but positive and significant effects on crime-related concerns and on preventive behavioral responses, such as investing in home security. We explore several channels and provide suggestive evidence related to low versus high-education immigrants, ethnic-related intergroup threats, and the role of local media.

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