Mexican Immigration: Insiders’ Views on Crime, Risks, and Victimization

Abstract

This study is a qualitative examination of interview data with recent Mexican immigrants about their experiences coming to the United States and adjusting to their new life to determine the extent to which crime has been involved. The perception that Mexican immigrants are responsible for new predatory crimes is explored, along with other crime-related issues of offending, risks, and vulnerabilities. The data were collected with a semistructured interview schedule and administered to 30 participants chosen via a chain-referral process in 2 cities in 2 states with the largest concentrations of Mexicans living in the United States. The findings have implications for understanding vulnerabilities and at-risk situations of Mexican immigrants living in the United States, using social exclusion theory. The results also may prove useful for immigration policy design and development to create comprehensive, inclusive measures for immigrants to the United States.