UC Irvine

Prior research measures immigration by only accounting for where immigrants live. We argue that this approach misses the activity spaces of immigrants, which also impact crime but are not always located in their residential communities. The present study uses an alternative definition of immigration—immigrant-ethnic activity space (IEAS)—that accounts for both the residential location and routine activities of immigrants. Additionally, given the crime-reducing effects associated with immigration, including for high-risk populations, we consider whether IEAS protects against reoffending for ex-inmates. Using Cox hazards models, we examine the relationship between IEAS and recidivism across the communities of five ethnic groups. Results show that the IEAS of all groups are inversely associated with recidivism. However, ex-prisoner concentration amplifies the risk for recidivism in the IEAS of some groups.