July 22, 2010 4:12 PM

Undocumented Immigrants Increasingly Filling Arizona Prisons

By
Laura Strickler
Topics
News

By Laura Strickler and Jack Weingart

New data from the Arizona Department of Corrections shows that undocumented immigrants are increasingly over-represented in the state's prison population.

In June 2010, undocumented immigrants represented 14.8 percent of Arizona state prisoners, but accounted for only 7 percent of the state's overall population according to the Department of Homeland Security.  

The new data also revealed for the first time a breakdown of crimes for which undocumented immigrants were incarcerated.

For example of all the prisoners serving time in Arizona state prisons for kidnapping, 40 percent were undocumented. Of those in prison on drug charges, 24 percent were undocumented. And 13 percent of those serving time for murder were undocumented immigrants, according to the new data from the Arizona Department of Corrections.

The number of undocumented immigrants in Arizona state prisons has also grown in recent years. In December, 2004 there were 4,098 undocumented immigrants in the Arizona state prison population making up 12.6 percent according to state data. By June 2010 the number had increased to 14.8 percent for a total of 5,983 incarcerated undocumented immigrants.

Criminologist professor James Alan Fox from Northeastern University was not surprised by the new information, "You take any population that tends to be poor and you will have a higher rate of individuals in prison," he said. "One, there is a correlation between social class and criminality and two there's a correlation between social class and the likelihood you'll be sent to prison for the same crime as compared to people in a higher social class."

Fox says this is due in part to inadequate legal representation for low-income people. And he adds: "There's a title of an old book the rich get richer; the poor get prison."

FBI crime data indicates a 10 percent decline in Arizona's crime rate from 2000 to 2009 which some see as a sign that undocumented immigrants have not made the state more violent overall.

Tonight on the CBS Evening News, correspondent Bill Whitaker examines this question and speaks to law enforcement officials in Arizona about the connection between immigration and crime.


Add a Comment See all 35 Comments
by Alixandra514 July 27, 2010 10:57 PM EDT
I have nothing but support for Arizona, their governor, and their new law! Load em all up on prison buses, haul em down south of the border, and dump em all like the trashy, law-breaking, worthless, rabbit-breeding scum they are!!!
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by mary-miami July 27, 2010 2:20 PM EDT
Remember that the people who blew up the twin towers in NYC were Muslim, not Latin. Why are they letting so many muslim enter this country? Why are some people allowed to wear burqas in the streets now-a-days...are we sure they aren't just men disguised with "evil" intentions? Some of you might not like people of Spanish descent; but they sure aren't coming here with destructive purposes. They are doing what mankind has done for centuries...Migrating to survive, just like the pilgrims did, hundreds of years ago.
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by scion90 March 7, 2011 1:24 PM EST
This is a very racial thought process. Yes there is a main threat to homeland security from many groups based in the Middle East. The fact of the matter is that illegal aliens are more cancerous. Looks at welfare, crime, and financial statistics and you will see that illegal immigration cause just as much harm as terrorism. The outcomes are different and one cost more lives but the strain on America is all the same. I agree we all started out migrating from somewhere, but there are laws in place today to protect the American people. Come here legally and be an American. Don't rush in under the radar and suck the lifeblood of America without giving to it.
by AZsparrow July 25, 2010 9:15 AM EDT
I'm a little confused here on some numbers, but I think it because we are talking "State" prison systems alone. I have read that some County and local City prisons have 25-30 percent illegal aliens incarcerated. So I wonder if that number is total, or that County and City prisons are holding prior to turning over to ICE, and/or illegals on trial waiting to get a verdict to ultimately end up in the State Prison system? Either way it is all unnecessary if the border was secure. Imagine all the crimes that need not happen if the border secure, and that those that still did get through were stopped before committing them. Saying that crime is down some certain percentage is good enough, is like saying they cleaned up enough oil in the Gulf and just live with it. Not acceptable reasons in any book... secure that border first!
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by BigMikeO July 24, 2010 11:18 AM EDT
You always know they are bias when the say undocumented immigrant. They know, and we all know, they are not immigrants, documented or otherwise. (: They are criminal trespassers, breaking our laws.
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by bear3308 July 23, 2010 4:24 PM EDT
The story on CBS Evening News on Thursday, July 22, if read carefully, seems balanced. However, when viewing the news as I did, the impression it leaves is that there is actually not a problem with criminal behavior among illegal immigrants, i.e., that this is a smokescreen excuse for those who support Arizona's law. But the story itself seemed contradictory. They report that according to FBI statistics that the overall crime rate is down, and they quote the Sherrif of Pima County saying there is no problem. The stats CBS reported are that illegal immigrants make up 7% of the state's population but 15% of the prison population and that 14% of Arizona inmates were convictged of manslaughter or murder. They also note that while the FBI statistics show crime is down, the casually throw in the fact that over the last decade border partrol agents have increased from 1,500 to 33,000! Well, of course the crime rate is going to be down with this big of an increase in border patrol agents! What would it have been without this increase? And how much is it costing American citizen taxpayers for these 33,000 agents when the simpler answer is to require all law enforcement officials to ask for proof of citizenship if they have reasonable grounds to do so? In other words, use Arizona's new immigration law. That act will eliminate and catch most of the illegal immigrants, and in the process, lower the crime rate.
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by RetiredandBored July 23, 2010 1:28 PM EDT
I just read some articles about the AZ hearing on illegal immigration. What I found interesting, although not surprising, were the signs proclaiming "we will not comply", meaning with the law. So, here we have illegal aliens flooding our cities, using our resources, lowering wages, using other people's social security numbers at these jobs, all while demonstrating in our streets stating they "will not comply." In what other country would this be allowed to occur? In what other country, would illegal immigrants feel they can demonstrate, demand rights and proclaim their intention to break our laws? Wake up people. We're being invaded, and our Congress and Administration has no intention of stopping it. This is a national security and economic security issue. VOTE!!!
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by P0ST1ING_AWAY July 22, 2010 8:06 PM EDT
by RickChicago1 July 22, 2010 7:58 PM EDT
Guilty is Guilty. Stop the Liberal spin.
===========================================
Ricky:
I hope that all of the illegal mexicans get deported ...
and that some (or all !!!) of you Tea-Bagging morons get swept up
as well. STOP THE TEA-BAGGER SPIN.
Reply to this comment
by jimbovidaloca July 22, 2010 8:04 PM EDT
I live in Costa Rica, and have for 11 years. I was born in Oregon to Danish immigrants, graduated from the University of Oregon. I do not understand any problem with having to produce legal papers to be in any country, EVEN IF YOU ARE A CITIZEN!! Here in C.R. ALL foreigners AND
LOCALS must carry at least a copy of their passport(including entry date) or C.R. identification! We ALL are routinely stopped at checkpoints for the sole purpose of providing legal documents for vehicle, and all persons inside. I spent 2 days in jail for being over on my 90 day visa 8 years ago. I do NOT see any harm in all Americans having to produce identification regardless of gender or color.
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by 4thsiwnt2cllg July 22, 2010 7:12 PM EDT
Could it be that the serious crime rates are down in AZ BECAUSE those folks are prison?
Reply to this comment
by documemts July 22, 2010 7:18 PM EDT
Most people in prison are white.
by scion90 March 7, 2011 1:18 PM EST
Documents:
As per the census bureau, most people in the nation are white so your assertion makes sense. My suggestion is to do a little math and calculate ratios of races in prison to that of the surrounding populations. You may be surprised at what you find.
by nehicks July 22, 2010 7:08 PM EDT
This article implies they don't get good legal representation. Since these people are low-income, according to the article, that means the illegal immigrants are using state money to be represented in court with a court appointed attorney. If our borders were closed and illegal immigrants were apprehended on the border, they would not have the opportunity to commit kidnappings, drug offenses, unless they were caught carrying drugs, and murders.

For drug carrying mules or whatever you want to call them, take the drugs and then, just put them on a bus back to Mexico. The drug cartels will take care of them then.
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