Crime stats test rationale behind Arizona immigration law

[TomCADem]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- High levels of illegal immigration and crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants are among the key rationales cited by some supporters of a tough new immigration law in Arizona.

"Border violence and crime due to illegal immigration are critically important issues to the people of our state," Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said at the signing of the controversial bill, SB 1070. "There is no higher priority than protecting the citizens of Arizona. We cannot sacrifice our safety to the murderous greed of the drug cartels. We cannot stand idly by as drop houses, kidnappings and violence compromise our quality of life."

Yet, a look at statistics from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency and the FBI indicate that both the number of illegal crossers and violent crime in general have actually decreased in the past several years.

According to FBI statistics, violent crimes reported in Arizona dropped by nearly 1,500 reported incidents between 2005 and 2008. Reported property crimes also fell, from about 287,000 reported incidents to 279,000 in the same period. These decreases are accentuated by the fact that Arizona's population grew by 600,000 between 2005 and 2008.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/29/arizona.immigration.crime/

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Wow! Crimes have decreased in Arizona. Thus, could the idea that illegal immigrants are violent criminals be based on ... racism?

[paulsby]

1. reason mag did a detailed article on the stats

which i posted a ways back

same conclusion

[mrcheerful]

2. Of course its based on racism everything about the screed is racism

like how the prisons have more minorities locked up then whites means minorities cause more crime. They never look at how minorities can't afford lawyers so they get public defenders who are working so many cases that often the minorities are told to accept the plea bargain instead of taking it to trial, which then feeds another myth, that only the guilty cop pleas because if they were innocent they wouldn't admit to the charge by taking a plea.

Nor do they ever stop to question that because they are a minority that is why the minority numbers are higher then whites. Numbers seem not to really click with them, 10 minorities and 2 go to prison means 20% are behind bars vs 100 whites with 10 behind bars means 10% are behind bars so the numbers are lower. Never mind facts like 2 minorities are locked up vs 10 whites, the minorities have a larger % then whites so that means minorities commit more crimes more then whites.

These are some very twisted people who are very good at twisting any information to prove their beliefs no matter how twisted their views are.

[SoapBox]

3. It's all about Hate!

...as I always say,

Figures Lie and Liars Figure.

The Haters don't care about stats...all they care about is hate. They will NEVER
get over that "black" (or the "n" word...I don't like even typing that) guy
in THEIR White House. It's their way or the "highway".

[alp227]

4. These facts are just too inconvenient for the zealot nativists. n/t