IMMIGRATION, SCHOOLS, AND VIOLENCE: ASSIMILATION AND STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

Abstract

Although the “myth” about the immigration and crime link is one of immigrant propensity for criminality in the United States, contradictory evidence suggests that immigrants, including youth, are less likely to be deviant. Little is known, however, about the multilevel relationships between immigration, schools, and student misbehavior. Analyses, which draw from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analysis, indeed reveal imperative findings. Most notably, first-generation immigrant students are less likely to misbehave while at school; however, increased exposure to school social disorder is associated with student misbehavior for first-generation immigrants. This article also discusses the importance of understanding the role of immigration in the multilevel relationship of student misbehavior for one of the fastest growing segments of American society: the children of immigrants.

Acknowledgments

Gratitude is extended to Vincent J. Roscigno for his encouraging and constructive comments throughout this research. Appreciation is also conveyed for the research support and resources offered by the Crime and Justice Summer Institute at The Ohio State University, an extensive and intensive research workshop directed by Lauren J. Krivo and Ruth D. Peterson, as well as the Racial Democracy, Crime and Justice-Network (RDCJ-N). I also thank Jennifer M. Bondy for her support associated with this research.

Notes

Notes. Model 1: The omitted categories are white Americans, males, and one-parent family structures; and, west and urban schools. Model 2: The omitted categories are third-plus generation immigrants, white Americans, males, and one-parent family structures; and, west and urban schools. Model 3: The omitted categories are white American third-plus generation immigrants, males, and one-parent family structures; and, west and urban schools.

*p ≤ .05. **p ≤ .01. ***p ≤ .001.

Note. The omitted categories are white Americans, males, and one-parent family structures; and, west and urban schools.

*p ≤ .05. **p ≤ .01. ***p ≤ .001.