Replication data for: Effects of Immigrant Legalization on Crime

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Project Description

Summary: I examine the effects that the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which legalized almost 3 million immigrants, had on crime in the United States. I exploit the IRCA's quasi-random timing as well as geographic variation in the intensity of treatment to isolate causal impacts. I find decreases in crime of 3-5 percent, primarily due to decline in property crimes, equivalent to 120,000-180,000 fewer violent and property crimes committed each year due to legalization. I calibrate a labor market model of crime, finding that much of the drop in crime can be explained by greater labor market opportunities among applicants.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms: [wages, immigration, irca, immigration reform and control act]

JEL Classification:
      J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
      J18 Demographic Economics: Public Policy
      K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

Geographic Coverage: United States

Data Type(s): [administrative records data, text]

Methodology

Unit(s) of Observation: Individual,

Related Publications

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Published Versions

V1 [2019-10-12]

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Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

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