Does Immigration Status Affect Female Criminality?

Chesney-Lind, M., & Mauer, M. (2011). Invisible punishment: The collateral consequences of mass imprisonment. New York: The New Press.

The book presents essays from advocates and scholars within the area of criminal justice and their take on the effects of immigration on policies within the legal system. There is also discussion on the effects of American citizens and the effects this has on society as a whole. The advocates and scholars reason that much of the consequences of early policies pertaining to crime have wide-reaching effects on the scope of America years later. The book may be problematic in the sense that each scholar has a difference of opinion with regard to United States' immigration issues and crime and the criminal justice policies associated with gender. While the book itself is eye-opening, the inconsistencies in the types of writing styles may only permit the usage of a few essays rather than the entire scope of the book.

Hartry, A. (2012). Gendering crimmigration: The intersection of gender, immigration, and the criminal justice system. Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice, 27(1), 1-27.

Hartry describes the increases in the methods and practices of the criminal justice system as it pertains to female immigrants specifically. Hartry examines the term crimmigration and the rise of an intersection between women immigrants, criminality and the legal dynamics that factor into society. Through a gender blind approach and analysis, Hartry is able to provide examples and offer suggestions as to the alarming rate of abuse of female immigrants in the legal system. This article is very helpful in providing a precise focus on female immigrants within the criminal justice arena and how certain policies are created to abuse those who are noncitizens.

Lee, M., Jr., R. M., & Rosenfeld, R. (2001). Does immigration increase homicide? Negative evidence from three border cities. The Sociological Quarterly,42(4), 559-580.

The authors seek to understand the intricate relationship between immigration and crime. There is an extensive discussion on the stereotypes of criminal immigrants and the overall way in which they are treated in the legal system. Particular attention is paid to three cities: Miami, El Paso, and San Diego. The authors examine the efforts by certain policies to restrict immigration with the aim of preventing crimes and furthering the connection between crime and immigration status. The authors analyze certain patterns pertaining to certain types of violence with a specific emphasis on homicide in urban communities and the characteristics of those communities. This article will provide immense detail to the subject matter as the authors speak to the immigration status of both men and women and the continuing effects of stereotypes on immigrants.

McDonald, W. (2009). Immigration, crime, and justice. United Kingdom: Emerald Group Publishing.

McDonald examines the dimensions of disadvantaged groups and their impact on the sociological dynamics of crime. Much of McDonald's discussion focuses on rural welfare and how that even with a broad definition affects the position of crime in rural areas. This book will be beneficial in providing a discussion on criminality and immigration in rural areas as it relates to sociology and social policy.

Olson, C., Laurikkala, M., Corzine, L., & Corzine, J. (2009). Immigration and violent crime citizenship status and social disorganization. Homicide Studies,13(3), 227-241.

The authors discuss investigations into the criminal involvement of individuals who are naturalized citizens and compare that to noncitizens within Orange County (Orlando), Florida specifically. There is a significant amount of research discussed to fully understand the so-called link between crime and immigration status and how immigrants are viewed within certain types of crimes. The authors note that there is a notable amount of evidence to suggest that immigrants do not contribute to crime levels in urban areas as previously thought. This article is helpful in providing a rationale for how immigrants are treated within the legal system in certain urban areas and the impact immigration status has on crime rates and how policies are shaped within states.

Shapiro, S. (2010). She can do no wrong: Recent failure in America's immigration courts to provide women asylum from "honor crimes" abroad. Journal of Gender, Social Policy & The Law, 18(2), 293-315.

Shapiro analyzes the infamous crimes known as honor crimes and how female immigrants often justify these types of crimes within the United States. Specific attention is paid to how female immigrants are treated in their respective countries and religions versus how the United States views female immigrants as criminals when they commit these honor crimes within the court system. Shapiro's article is helpful in providing more description on how women are treated in the court system when they violate laws, such as those laws in Arizona, associated with immigration as well as the understanding of criminality in certain societies and that difference when compared to the U.S.

Shea, A. (2003). "Don't let them make you feel you did a crime": Immigration law, labor rights, and farmworker testimony. MELUS, 28(1), 123-144.

Shea's article describes the issues that immigrants often face with regard to crime and how they are made to feel that because they do not have legal status, that they can be subjected to various forms of practices within the legal system. The reasoning is given within the context of farmworkers specifically testimonies from those who have undergone being treated a certain way as a result of their immigrant status. Shea divides the testimonies between genders, not honing in on one gender in particular, but rather seeking to understand the pain and suffering that often accompanies immigrants who are discriminated against. Much of the focus, while on labor rights, does assist in providing context to the overall premise of immigration status is an issue within the discourse on female criminality.