The UTEP study finds that undocumented immigrants represent a lower risk of crime as US citizens

A new study by the University of Texas in El Paso showed that undocumented immigrants have lower risk factors for crime as US citizens and authorized immigrants.

The study, which focused on El Paso County, was financed by the National Institute of Justice from 2019, “on the contrary, the immigrants to the United States, despite political campaigns and media, in which US citizens commit less crime than American citizens than the citizens born in the United States.”

The results were presented on Thursday, April 17, the court of the El Paso County district. The study was accepted for publication and is currently being subjected to peer review.

“This information is more critical than ever, since the administration (President Donald Trump), who tries to rule through decree, has gained a large part of his power through decades of campaign through the extreme right to demonize immigrants,” said Stout. “Facts should play a role if a potential tyrant takes over power by lying and sinning people, and as soon as the power in power ignores, the proper procedure ignores and works through a fully list that could contain anyone that is evident.”

What is in the study?

The study entitled “Criminogenic risk factors among immigrants in the Border Region of the US Mexico” was carried out by UTEPS Colloquium of the psychology department in cooperation with the Sheriff office of the district of El Paso, and the coordination of the criminal judiciary of El Paso County consisted of two analyzes.

The first examined current fees and pre -judicial risk reviews of 5,175 consecutive prisons and the second structured risk reviews carried out with a sample of 273 people who were booked to prison.

The most important results in the first study included the following:

• Immigrants make up fewer prison bookings (15%) than would be predicted on the basis of their representation in the municipality (23%).

• Immigrants have less serious charges than citizens born in the United States

• Immigrants have evaluation values ​​with less risk

• Immigrants are less likely under supervision or have previous violence or crimes and have more stable houses

The most important results of the second study included the following:

• Undocumented immigrants have a lower criminogenic risk – or the risk of crime – in most cases born in the USA

• Immigrants without papers achieved higher employment/employment problems in surveys

• The focus on Mexican culture is associated with lower criminogenic needs

In an abstract for the study, UTEP researcher wrote: “We conclude that guidelines to limit immigration (in particular from Mexico) due to the idea that immigrants are susceptible to crime are misconception, since our immigrants found have a low criminal off to criminal risk factors.”

Operation Lone Star 'counterproductive'

During their presentation before the Commissioner Court, the researchers also reported that “criminal law guidelines such as Operation Lone Star could be counterproductive”.

The efforts of the state to involve the enforcement of immigration have cost taxpayers from the taxpayers of millions of dollars so far, since the district must deter the thousands of people arrested as part of the program. In addition, the high -speed hunts in neighborhoods and beyond, who led to the death of migrants and spectators.

The researchers dragged on that the program has so far not led to a decline in street crime or a change in drug prices or their availability.

“We criminalize immigrants because of their perseverance to get to the USA,” said Stout. “These are exactly the people we should welcome. The problem is not that you want to be here – the problem is an inadequate immigration system, a militarized reaction and the decades of campaign against immigrants.”

“The facts are clear. Unfortunately, the emotions about the topic have excluded the rational self -interest that should be greeted by newcomers.”

Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached by e -mail at apowell@elpasotimes.com.

This article originally appeared in El Paso Times: UTEP study: Undocumented immigrants represent a lower risk of crime than the citizens