Socioeconomic factors of the instances of crime among “new” immigration in the United States (late XIX – early XX centuries)

Abstract

The primary task of this research is to elucidate the reasons for stereotyping “new” immigrants as dangerous criminals and anarchists in society of the United States. The subject of this research is criminality within the immigration environment, while the object is the immigrants from Southeast Europe and Asia who came to the United States in the second half of the XIX century and surpassed the immigrants from Western and Northern Europe. The author refers to the analysis of social and economic situation of “new” immigrants as the factors that impacted the rise of crime rate in the immigrant quarters. Special attention is given to organized criminal activity and radical political movements, as well as their influence upon the public image of “new” immigrants. The conclusion is made that the representatives of “new” immigration were involved in various unlawful actions, from minor administrative offenses and crimes against private property to murders, robberies and creation of organized criminal communities. An important place among the factors that affected criminalization of immigrants from Southeast Europe and Asia was held by social isolation of immigrant communities, problematic assimilation, and tough economic situation due to intense competition on the job market and high unemployment rate. At the same time, “new” immigrants were no different from the local dwellers in disposition to commit crime: criminal rate among immigrants did not exceed average in the country.