Question

Based on simple calculations, you find that immigration and crime rates are positively correlated; in other words, crime rates are high in regions with high immigrant concentration. Can you conclude that immigration “cause” crime? Why? Provide a meaningful economic mechanism that can justify your answer. [Hint: Think about the case of low-skilled immigrants and house prices.]

Answer 1

We can not conclude that immigration causes crime.

There are many examples of immigrations which has been beneficial to the host country. For example, many highly educated people, such as engineers, doctors, scientists, etc., migrate to the US in search of even better prospects of growth in income and a high standard of life.

Indian - American immigrants in the US are the most prosperous immigrant groupn with negligible involvement in crime in the US. Therefore, to say that immigration causes crime is not true.

The economic mechanism behind crimes is that the immigrants with less skills and education are more prone to commit crime whereas educated and highly skilled immigrants with more wealth are expected to help in the development and economic growth of the nation, by earning and paying taxes, helping in the technological progress of the nation.