Legal Status and the Criminal Activity of Immigrants

Authors

Giovanni Mastrobuoni, University of EssexFollow
Paolo Pinotti, Università BocconiFollow

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Series

Upjohn Institute working paper ; 14-212

**Published Version**

In American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 7(2): 175-206

DOI

10.17848/wp14-212

Abstract

We exploit exogenous variation in legal status following the January 2007 European Union enlargement to estimate its effect on immigrant crime. We difference out unobserved time-varying factors by 1) comparing recidivism rates of immigrants from the “new” and “candidate” member countries and 2) using arrest data on foreign detainees released upon a mass clemency that occurred in Italy in August 2006. The timing of the two events allows us to set up a difference-in-differences strategy. Legal status leads to a 50 percent reduction in recidivism and explains one-half to two-thirds of the observed differences in crime rates between legal and illegal immigrants.

Issue Date

January 2014

Sponsorship

W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research Early Career Research Award 10-122-04

Subject Areas

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES; Immigration