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Immigration, crime, and crime (Mis)perceptions

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolás Ajzenman

    (Sao Paulo School of Economics - FGV)

  • Patricio Domínguez

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

  • Raimundo Undurraga

    (University of Chile)

Abstract

This paper studies the effects of immigration on crime and crime perceptions in Chile, where the foreign-born population more than doubled in the last decade. By using individual-level victimization data, we document null effects of immigration on crime but positive and significant effects on crime-related concerns, which in turn triggered preventive behavioral responses, such as investing in home-security. Our results are robust across a two-way fixed effects model and an IV strategy based on a shift-share instrument that exploits immigration inflows towards destination countries other than Chile. On mechanisms, we examine data on crime-related news on TV and in newspapers, and find a disproportionate coverage of immigrant-perpetrated homicides as well as a larger effect of immigration on crime perceptions in municipalities with a stronger media presence. These effects might explain the widening gap between actual crime trends and public perceptions of crime.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolás Ajzenman & Patricio Domínguez & Raimundo Undurraga, 2021. "Immigration, crime, and crime (Mis)perceptions," Working Papers 53, Red Nacional de Investigadores en Economía (RedNIE).
    • Handle: RePEc:aoz:wpaper:53
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    Cited by:

    1. Ibanez, Ana Maria & Rozo, Sandra V. & Bahar, Dany, 2020. "Empowering Migrants: Impacts of a Migrant's Amnesty on Crime Reports," IZA Discussion Papers 13889, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Diego A. Martin & Jose Ramon Morales Arilla & Alvaro Morales, 2024. "Escaping from hardship, searching for comfort: Climate matching in refugees’ destination choices," Growth Lab Working Papers 237, Harvard's Growth Lab.
    3. Liu, Xinyan & Bai, Yu & Li, Yanjun & Sun, Yajie, 2024. "Highway havens for hidden horrors: Expressway connections and child trafficking in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    4. Pablo Argote & Lucas Perelló, 2024. "Explaining the Impact of South-South Migration: Evidence from Chile’s Immigration Boom," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2071-2093, December.
    5. Perroni, Carlo & Scharf, Kimberley & Smith, Sarah & Talavera, Oleksandr & Vi, Linh, 2024. "Local Crime and Prosocial Attitudes: Evidence from Charitable Donations," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 706, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    6. Liu, Wen & Xu, Zhicheng, 2025. "Lost in translation: Dialect distance, social assimilation and immigrant crimes in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    7. Zuchowski, David & Maciel, Mateus, 2025. "Between solidarity and concern: Refugee inflow and crime perception," MPRA Paper 127411, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Fabregas, Raissa & Zanoni, Wladimir, 2025. "The migrant penalty in Latin America: Experimental evidence from job recruiters," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    9. Laurent Bossavie & Daniel Garrote‐Sanchez & Mattia Makovec & Çağlar Özden, 2022. "Do immigrants shield the locals? Exposure to COVID‐related risks in the European Union," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 1478-1514, November.
    10. Groeger, Andre & León-Ciliotta, Gianmarco & Stillman, Steven, 2024. "Immigration, labor markets and discrimination: Evidence from the Venezuelan Exodus in Perú," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    11. Morales-Arilla, Jose & Martin, Diego & Morales, Alvaro, 2025. "Escaping from hardship, searching for comfort: Climate matching in refugees’ destination choices," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    12. Campo, Francesco & Giunti, Sara & Mendola, Mariapia, 2024. "Refugee crisis and right-wing populism: Evidence from the Italian Dispersal Policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    13. Joshua K. Bedi & Shaomeng Jia & Claudia Williamson Kramer, 2025. "Protecting Postville? The impact of deportation and immigration on crime," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 203(3), pages 369-396, June.
    14. Sardoschau, Sulin & Gulino, Giorgio & Masera, Federico, 2025. "Identity Under Scrutiny: Media Attention and Rule Compliance," IZA Discussion Papers 17888, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Lebow, Jeremy & Moreno-Medina, Jonathan & Mousa, Salma & Coral, Horacio, 2024. "Migrant exposure and anti-migrant sentiment: The case of the Venezuelan exodus," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    16. Zanoni, Wladimir & Díaz, Lina, 2024. "Discrimination against migrants and its determinants: Evidence from a Multi-Purpose Field Experiment in the Housing Rental Market," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    17. Andrés Barrios Fernández & Jorge Garcia-Hombrados & Daniel Perez-Parra, 2025. "Police effectiveness, geographic specialization, police organization," CEP Discussion Papers dp2122, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • K1 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law

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