http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403 Published March 2, 2008 ---- In the argument over illegal immigration and its ravages upon the American landscape, many have accepted it as indisputable fact: U.S. jails are overflowing with Mexican nationals &mdash; scofflaws who have forded the Rio Grande or staggered across the Baja desert in order to rape, rob and pillage. The reality, it turns out, is much different. Immigrants &mdash; illegal or not &mdash; are far less likely than the average U.S. native to commit crime in California, according to a report released last week by the Public Policy Institute of California. Foreign-born adults, including noncitizen men from Mexico, are incarcerated and institutionalized at rates vastly lower than those of natural citizens. The study, &ldquo;Crime, Corrections, and California: What Does Immigration Have to Do with It?,&rdquo; found, among other things, that U.S.-born adult men reside in state prisons at rates as much as 3.3 times higher than foreign-born men. &nbsp;The study, which reiterates the findings of previous research, also found that U.S.-born men ages 18 to 40 are 10 times more likely than immigrants to be in county jail or state prison. And Mexican men of that age are eight times less likely than U.S.-born men in that age group to be in a jail setting. Education, or lack thereof, seems to be a negligible factor as far as new immigrants are concerned, according to the study. More than 13 percent of American men in the 18 to 40 age bracket who lack high school diplomas are in state prisons, county jails, halfway houses or other institutions. Less than 1 percent of same-age, same-education immigrant men are in similar circumstances. Still, with illegal immigration on the rise, can&rsquo;t we expect crime rates will start going up? If history is any indication, no. The researchers studied 29 California cities between 2000 and 2005 and discovered, on average, that cities with higher rates of newly arrived foreigners exhibited a bigger drop in crime than cities with lower rates of new immigrants. For example, Bakersfield&rsquo;s property crime rate increased by approximately 1,500 crimes per 100,000 residents between 2000 and 2005, highest among the 29 cities studied. But its percentage of recently arriving immigrants was only about 3 percent, one of the lowest among the cities studied during that period. The research does not mean that government should ignore illegal immigration. It does not mean that hiring restrictions should be dismissed. (Indeed, it may be that as immigrant men take jobs from U.S.-born men, native Americans are driven to illegal activities.) And it does not mean researchers shrugged off the fact that illegally crossing the border into the U.S. is a crime in itself. The study merely underscores the fact that concerns about the alleged criminal behavior among immigrants, although always relevant, has a limited place in scare-tactic talking points about illegal immigration. America needs a comprehensive immigration reform bill. But the alleged criminal threat posed by immigrants is not the reason why. -- Read report, reply &nbsp; The Public Policy Institute of California&rsquo;s latest study examines the effects of immigration on public safety in California. The study&rsquo;s&nbsp; authors, Kristin F. Butcher, an associate professor of economics at Wellesley College, and Anne Morrison Piehl, who teaches economics and criminal justice at Rutgers University, used data on incarceration and institutionalization to represent assumed levels of criminal involvement. The PPIC &mdash; a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1994 &mdash; found that foreign-born people, who comprise 35 percent of California adults, constitute only 17 percent of the adult prison population. That makes immigrants underrepresented in California prisons based on their share of the overall population &mdash; precisely the opposite of what many would expect based on American political discourse. Read the report yourself: It&rsquo;s at www.ppic.org &mdash; under &ldquo;new publications.&rdquo; Then tell us what you think. Write us at opinion@bakersfield.com. Published March 2, 2008 ---- In the argument over illegal immigration and its ravages upon the American landscape, many have accepted it as indisputable fact: U.S. jails are overflowing with Mexican nationals &mdash; scofflaws who have forded the Rio Grande or staggered across the Baja desert in order to rape, rob and pillage. The reality, it turns out, is much different. Immigrants &mdash; illegal or not &mdash; are far less likely than the average U.S. native to commit crime in California, according to a report released last week by the Public Policy Institute of California. Foreign-born adults, including noncitizen men from Mexico, are incarcerated and institutionalized at rates vastly lower than those of natural citizens. The study, &ldquo;Crime, Corrections, and California: What Does Immigration Have to Do with It?,&rdquo; found, among other things, that U.S.-born adult men reside in state prisons at rates as much as 3.3 times higher than foreign-born men. &nbsp;The study, which reiterates the findings of previous research, also found that U.S.-born men ages 18 to 40 are 10 times more likely than immigrants to be in county jail or state prison. And Mexican men of that age are eight times less likely than U.S.-born men in that age group to be in a jail setting. Education, or lack thereof, seems to be a negligible factor as far as new immigrants are concerned, according to the study. More than 13 percent of American men in the 18 to 40 age bracket who lack high school diplomas are in state prisons, county jails, halfway houses or other institutions. Less than 1 percent of same-age, same-education immigrant men are in similar circumstances. Still, with illegal immigration on the rise, can&rsquo;t we expect crime rates will start going up? If history is any indication, no. The researchers studied 29 California cities between 2000 and 2005 and discovered, on average, that cities with higher rates of newly arrived foreigners exhibited a bigger drop in crime than cities with lower rates of new immigrants. For example, Bakersfield&rsquo;s property crime rate increased by approximately 1,500 crimes per 100,000 residents between 2000 and 2005, highest among the 29 cities studied. But its percentage of recently arriving immigrants was only about 3 percent, one of the lowest among the cities studied during that period. The research does not mean that government should ignore illegal immigration. It does not mean that hiring restrictions should be dismissed. (Indeed, it may be that as immigrant men take jobs from U.S.-born men, native Americans are driven to illegal activities.) And it does not mean researchers shrugged off the fact that illegally crossing the border into the U.S. is a crime in itself. The study merely underscores the fact that concerns about the alleged criminal behavior among immigrants, although always relevant, has a limited place in scare-tactic talking points about illegal immigration. America needs a comprehensive immigration reform bill. But the alleged criminal threat posed by immigrants is not the reason why. -- Read report, reply &nbsp; The Public Policy Institute of California&rsquo;s latest study examines the effects of immigration on public safety in California. The study&rsquo;s&nbsp; authors, Kristin F. Butcher, an associate professor of economics at Wellesley College, and Anne Morrison Piehl, who teaches economics and criminal justice at Rutgers University, used data on incarceration and institutionalization to represent assumed levels of criminal involvement. The PPIC &mdash; a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1994 &mdash; found that foreign-born people, who comprise 35 percent of California adults, constitute only 17 percent of the adult prison population. That makes immigrants underrepresented in California prisons based on their share of the overall population &mdash; precisely the opposite of what many would expect based on American political discourse. Read the report yourself: It&rsquo;s at www.ppic.org &mdash; under &ldquo;new publications.&rdquo; Then tell us what you think. Write us at opinion@bakersfield.com. en-us Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:10:47 PST <p>You lie!!! we know better in Bakersfield!</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204475 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204475 <p>You lie!!! we know better in Bakersfield!</p> <p>The research is interesting, but irrelevant. Even one crime by someone who shouldn't be here is one too many! By the logic of the researchers, if we would only let anyone from anywhere come here if they wanted and were to expel all U.S. citizens, then our crime rate would go down. After all, we Americans are less law-abiding than illegal immigrants!</p> <p>What the researchers fail to note is that the unapprehended and unincarcerated illegal immigrants are - dare I say it - criminals!!!!!</p> <p>Their very act of illegal entry into our country is a crime.</p> <p>Obviously, the researchers buy into the politically correct notion that there is a way to pick up a turd by the clean end.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204501 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204501 <p>The research is interesting, but irrelevant. Even one crime by someone who shouldn't be here is one too many! By the logic of the researchers, if we would only let anyone from anywhere come here if they wanted and were to expel all U.S. citizens, then our crime rate would go down. After all, we Americans are less law-abiding than illegal immigrants!</p> <p>What the researchers fail to note is that the unapprehended and unincarcerated illegal immigrants are - dare I say it - criminals!!!!!</p> <p>Their very act of illegal entry into our country is a crime.</p> <p>Obviously, the researchers buy into the politically correct notion that there is a way to pick up a turd by the clean end.</p> <p><span style="font-size: large"><span style="color: #ff0000">100 % OF ALL&nbsp;<u>ILLEGAL</u> IMMIGRANTS ARE <u>CRIMINALS</u>!!!!!!!!</span></span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204505 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204505 <p><span style="font-size: large"><span style="color: #ff0000">100 % OF ALL&nbsp;<u>ILLEGAL</u> IMMIGRANTS ARE <u>CRIMINALS</u>!!!!!!!!</span></span></p> <p><img src="http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0S020p6PspH4hwAEl6jzbkF/SIG=12qg57dqo/EXP=1204523002/**http%3A//legalnews.tv/images/stories/thumbnails/thumb_illegal_aliens.jpg" alt="" /></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204510 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204510 <p><img src="http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0S020p6PspH4hwAEl6jzbkF/SIG=12qg57dqo/EXP=1204523002/**http%3A//legalnews.tv/images/stories/thumbnails/thumb_illegal_aliens.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p>Worthless since no one even knows how many illegal aliens (THEY ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS) are in America and any stats concerning their involvement in crimes is meaningless because of the constraints against collecting real data. But those of us in Kern County know the problem impacting us and our quality of life.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204541 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204541 <p>Worthless since no one even knows how many illegal aliens (THEY ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS) are in America and any stats concerning their involvement in crimes is meaningless because of the constraints against collecting real data. But those of us in Kern County know the problem impacting us and our quality of life.</p> <p>I see now the&nbsp; paper that shall not be Mentioned&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; are useing some resreachers&nbsp; (liberal)&nbsp; of course to start throwing the % of crimes @ the poor Amercian citizens and not the Illegal Aliens</p> <p>U.S.-born men, native Americans are driven to illegal activities.) And it does not mean researchers shrugged off the fact that illegally crossing the border into the U.S. is a crime in itself.</p> <p>Who is the (Editoral)&nbsp; why is there no name to this&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;was this&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;jenner&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;swenson&nbsp; or is this a combination of all @ the no</p> <p>name paper</p> <p>Ron.</p> <p>Ps:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; does Random work for you too ?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204542 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204542 <p>I see now the&nbsp; paper that shall not be Mentioned&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; are useing some resreachers&nbsp; (liberal)&nbsp; of course to start throwing the % of crimes @ the poor Amercian citizens and not the Illegal Aliens</p> <p>U.S.-born men, native Americans are driven to illegal activities.) And it does not mean researchers shrugged off the fact that illegally crossing the border into the U.S. is a crime in itself.</p> <p>Who is the (Editoral)&nbsp; why is there no name to this&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;was this&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;jenner&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;swenson&nbsp; or is this a combination of all @ the no</p> <p>name paper</p> <p>Ron.</p> <p>Ps:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; does Random work for you too ?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I think if you want to make the link between immigration and higher crime rate, the place to look would be at a relationship between poverty induced by immigrants undercutting the labor market and poverty on incarceration rates.  I don't know if there's anything there, but that's the link I'd try to make while you play down the economic expansion created by immigrants.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204594 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204594 <p>I think if you want to make the link between immigration and higher crime rate, the place to look would be at a relationship between poverty induced by immigrants undercutting the labor market and poverty on incarceration rates.  I don't know if there's anything there, but that's the link I'd try to make while you play down the economic expansion created by immigrants.</p> <p>Because studies have shown that immigrants, illegal or not, tend to have a *LOWER* crime rate than the country as a whole.&nbsp; *AND* I'd bet they tend to register their pickups more faithfully than native-born types do.&nbsp; For obvious reasons.&nbsp; Of course, there are those &quot;facts&quot; getting in the way.&nbsp; And we all know &quot;facts have a well-known liberal bias.&quot;</p> <p>.</p> <p>Sam, if they came here from another country with the&nbsp;intention of staying&nbsp;they are immigrants.</p> <p>.</p> <p>Ah, the spraypainted&nbsp;racist signs come out.&nbsp; How sweet.&nbsp; Must be spring.&nbsp; How long until&nbsp; <i>Noche de Cristal</i>, I wonder?</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204599 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204599 <p>Because studies have shown that immigrants, illegal or not, tend to have a *LOWER* crime rate than the country as a whole.&nbsp; *AND* I'd bet they tend to register their pickups more faithfully than native-born types do.&nbsp; For obvious reasons.&nbsp; Of course, there are those &quot;facts&quot; getting in the way.&nbsp; And we all know &quot;facts have a well-known liberal bias.&quot;</p> <p>.</p> <p>Sam, if they came here from another country with the&nbsp;intention of staying&nbsp;they are immigrants.</p> <p>.</p> <p>Ah, the spraypainted&nbsp;racist signs come out.&nbsp; How sweet.&nbsp; Must be spring.&nbsp; How long until&nbsp; <i>Noche de Cristal</i>, I wonder?</p> <p>Ron, most editorials in most newspapers are deliberately unsigned, as it represents the official opinion of the newspaper.&nbsp; Opposite that editorial&nbsp;page you'll find signed columns on the aptly-named &quot;op-ed&quot; page.</p> <p>.</p> <p>The Californian would not be able to confirm or deny that I work for them without violating confidentiality.&nbsp; But it's *ANOTHER* fairly-well-known blogger here who works for them.&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204600 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204600 <p>Ron, most editorials in most newspapers are deliberately unsigned, as it represents the official opinion of the newspaper.&nbsp; Opposite that editorial&nbsp;page you'll find signed columns on the aptly-named &quot;op-ed&quot; page.</p> <p>.</p> <p>The Californian would not be able to confirm or deny that I work for them without violating confidentiality.&nbsp; But it's *ANOTHER* fairly-well-known blogger here who works for them.&nbsp;</p> <p>Besides, if I'd written the editorial I'd have gotten the link right:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=776">http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=776</a></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204602 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204602 <p>Besides, if I'd written the editorial I'd have gotten the link right:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=776">http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=776</a></p> <p>The vast majority of the immigrants, especially the illegal ones, are here to escape the abject poverty, malnutrition, and lack of educational opportunities in Mexico and other places.  These people know the hopelessness they left behind and the hopefulness they have here.  Even the most menial jobs and living at our poverty levels is better than what they had.  But their children, born here, don't know what it was like and they are the ones that grow up resenting their position.  A study of the crime and incarceration rates of these second generation immigrants could reveal the consequences of unchecked immigration into a society to the saturation point where opportunities for advancement up the income ladder become less and less.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204644 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/editorials/22403/#c_204644 <p>The vast majority of the immigrants, especially the illegal ones, are here to escape the abject poverty, malnutrition, and lack of educational opportunities in Mexico and other places.  These people know the hopelessness they left behind and the hopefulness they have here.  Even the most menial jobs and living at our poverty levels is better than what they had.  But their children, born here, don't know what it was like and they are the ones that grow up resenting their position.  A study of the crime and incarceration rates of these second generation immigrants could reveal the consequences of unchecked immigration into a society to the saturation point where opportunities for advancement up the income ladder become less and less.</p>