Immigrants, Crime, and the American Dream: Testing a Segmented Assimilation Theory of Crime

• Published date: 01 April 2022
• Author: Saijun Zhang,Wesley S. McCann,Francis D. Boateng
• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X21994061
• Date: 01 April 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X21994061

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2022, Vol. 66(5) 560 –586

© The Author(s) 2021

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/0306624X21994061

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Article

Immigrants, Crime, and the

American Dream: Testing

a Segmented Assimilation

Theory of Crime

Wesley S. McCann1, Saijun Zhang2,

and Francis D. Boateng2

Abstract

The immigrant-crime relationship is often misunderstood and highly complex. To

date, criminological research has largely ignored theory testing of this relationship.

This paper examines the extant literature on intergenerational offending amongst

immigrant youth and subsequently tests whether the segmented assimilation

theory- a theory borrowed from the interdisciplinary social sciences- adequately

explains immigrant offending. The study uses data (N = 1,267) from the Pathways

to Desistance Study (PTD) to examine intergenerational differences in changes to

offending between immigrant youth and the native-born. The analyses largely reveal

that the theory, based on its original assumptions, fails to adequately explain youth

offending, and that the models provide more support for the straight-line theory

of assimilation in regards to delinquency. Limitations and recommendations are

discussed and proffered, respectively.

Keywords

crime, assimilation, segmented assimilation, immigrant, delinquency

Introduction

Research efforts that have examined the relationship between immigration and crime

show that immigration does not lead to increases in crime (Lee et al., 2001; Light,

2017; MacDonald et al., 2013; Ousey & Kubrin, 2014; Stowell et al., 2009), and the

1The College of New Jersey, Ewing, USA

2University of Mississippi, University Park, USA

Corresponding Author:

Wesley S. McCann, Department of Criminology, The College of New Jersey, 333 Social Sciences

Building, Ewing, NJ 08268, USA.

Email: mccannw@tcnj.edu

994061IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X21994061International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative CriminologyMcCann et al.

research-article2021

McCann et al. 561

observation is true for studies conducted at the individual level and those at the aggre-

gate level (Bersani et al., 2014, 2018; Ousey & Kubrin, 2018). Criminological scholar-

ship has demonstrated that there are many reasons why subsequent generations of

immigrants may not commit more crime than native-born citizens (see Chen & Zhong,

2013 for a theoretical review). First, the social cost associated with committing crime

is higher for immigrants than for native-born citizens. Immigrants who engage in

criminal activity may not only serve time for the crime committed but may also be

deported. Deportation alone may not be the problem but instead what is most relevant

are the associated consequences such as shame, stigmatization, and deprivation.

Therefore, fear of deportation and its associated consequences may actually work to

prevent immigrants from engaging in criminal activities (see Sampson & Bean, 2006).

Given the available evidence, the issue is no longer whether immigrants commit

more crime than native-born citizens, but instead whether immigrants differ in terms

of the risk for criminal activity. One theory that can be used to explain differences in

offending between the native and immigrant populaces and among immigrants is seg-

mented assimilation theory (SAT) (Portes & Zhou, 1993). While this theory has a lot

of potential to explain intergenerational offending patterns, it is underdeveloped within

criminology. Furthermore, a significant amount of research focuses on immigration

and crime, but there is limited attention to whether this theory can explain changes in

offending over time. These issues will be explored in this article alongside an empiri-

cal application of the theory to criminal offending.

This paper examines the extant literatures on segmented assimilation theory, and

subsequently tests whether the segmented assimilation theory—a theory borrowed

from the interdisciplinary social sciences—explains intergenerational patterns of

immigrant offending. The study uses data from the Pathways to Desistance Study

(PTD) to examine intergenerational changes in offending over time in immigrant pop-

ulations as compared to their native counterparts. This is important due to the lack of

research on changes in offending pursuant to a segmented assimilation theory analy-

sis, which explains long-term outcomes.

Review of Literature

Assimilation Theories

Assimilation theories as a whole, are not criminologically-based. These theories are

largely focused on life course outcomes (e.g., education, income, family, etc.). The

basis for assimilation theories began with classical assimilation theory. Classical

assimilation (straight-line) theory posits that successive generations will continue to

obtain upward mobility via occupational and educational opportunities resulting in

immigrants becoming more enmeshed in American culture (Warner & Srole, 1945).

Subsequently, successive generations will be less distinguishable from the native pop-

ulation over time (Park & Burgess 1924).

Flowing from straight-line assimilation is segmented assimilation. This school

of thought emerged in the early 1990s, due to the diversification of immigrant