Immigration and crime: An introduction to the handbook

Immigration and crime have long been of interest to a broad range of social and behavioral scientists and similarly a concern for politicians, bureaucrats, and the general public. As in the past, perceived links between increased immigration and crime influence contemporary political discourse while the larger issue of immigration reform continues to remain at the forefront of U.S. Policy challenges. Unfortunately, public and political perceptions about immigration and crime are often incongruent with the extant empirical evidence produced by scientific research. This is characteristic of the widespread disjuncture between academe and the public policy arena more generally, particularly as it relates to the social sciences. This gap between perceptions and evidence is especially problematic when misinformation then serves as the basis for policy or practice.