Immigrant Health & Crime —Lecture Outline
Health Issues
Acculturation / Assimilation & Health
Assimilation & link to health and crime (somewhat surprising)
Immigrant Mental Health (All P&R web rdg.) – MH—From shift from Eugenics view in 19th & early 20th century to post WWII emphasis on Class, Age, & Context. [Class bias of early research corrected later]
Context of Exit (in home country—trauma or no, PTSD, refugees)
Context of Reception in US (Mode of incorporation /policy, Ethnic Community, etc.) – example of negative mode of incorp. In Miller Ch 6, BP focus on Hispanic / latino immigrant communities on Northern Border as well, insrteases in stress and fear… potential mental health effects… PTSD, etc.
Social Distance (class background, rural-urban background, Education level, etc.) more important than Physical / Geographic distance Re: adjustment & MH
Immigrant Mental Health and Social Class background as key variable along with mode of incorporation into US (policy response)
Mental Health over Time for Immigrants (U-shaped chart – P&R ch. 6)
“Epidemiological Paradox” re: immigrant health. Immigrant v. Natives on baby health, adult drug and alcohol use and mental health (P&R web rdg.)
Health care available for “mobile poor” through Migrant and Community Health Centers (MCHC) (Kugel & Zuroweste web rdg.)
Migrant workers in low-wage, often high-risk occupations + mobility (continuity probs) = health risks -- e.g., farm labor, construction & landscaping, meat packing, hospitality indus., domestic service
MCHC serve only 20% of farmworkers. Barriers to HC— lack resources, mobility, lack info, language, fear (undoc. status), isolation, long dangerous “commute”
Need for immgn. reform & resources, “culturally competent” HC, tracking systems
“Agricultural Exceptionalism” – rights and protections of farmworkers compared to other worker in US economy, role of immigrants in Ag. labor, vulnerability to hyper-exploitation, & implications for immg. worker health; efforts to improve immg. worker occupation-related health, need to collaborate with various organizations & “stake holders” (Liebman and Augustave web rdg)
Crime Issues(P& R web rdg, & Sampson web rdg)
Traditional View – Immigration = more crime.
-Incarceration rates -- Foreign –Born ¼ rate of Native Born – even least educated for.-born groups (Mexican, Cent. Ams., Laotians, Cambodian, etc.) However, rapid increase among 2nd generation to above US avg. Similar to native-born minorities (P&R web rdg.)
Large drop in crime in US during mass immigration period 1990s(Sampson web rdg.)
Immigrant violent offending rates compared to US natives (Chicago case 1990s [Sampson], & 2nd gen. increase, but below natives. Esp. for Hispanic immgs (“Latino Paradox”)., but for all types as well. Explanations-- Self-Selection, immigrant culture, Immig. Community as protective… (Sampson web rdg.)
Compare Hispanic / Latino immigrant (& other immigrant) crime & incarceration rates with Border patrol view of undocumented Latino immigrants, esp. post 9-11. Big expansion of BP on Northern border (with Canada), focus largely on Haispanic / Latino immgrants. Staking out community organziations, churches, stores, etc., fear & family separation. What is mental health impact of this increased stress (ala P&R web rdg.). Consider how “dangerous” or threatening these immigrants are or not, & does this use of BP force make sense? (Miller Ch. 6)
“Constitution free zone” (Miller Ch. 6)
Bowie High School case in El Paso, Texas -- Symbolic of antagonistic relations BP traditionally had with Hispanic / Latino Communities on border. Lawsuit suing BP for civil rights violations forced BP to change. New emphasis on building more positive relations with Hispanic / Latino residents, while at same time focusing directly on border against unauthorized Mexican border crossers (immediately on border & not in neighborhoods)
BP “doing nice things for children” build BP support among Mexican Americans (somewhat ironically…) Importance of “Explorer Programs” for youth as means for BP to recruit support & future agents from Latino/ Hispanic community. Good –paying Jobs… is world view of BP selling to youth & public? (national security & threats, good guy vs. bad guys. (Miller Ch. 3)