Migrant remittances and violent responses to crime in Latin America and the Caribbean

López García, A.I. and Maydom, Barry (2021) Migrant remittances and violent responses to crime in Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin American Politics and Society 63 (2), pp. 26-50. ISSN 1531-426X.

Abstract

High levels of crime are a key driver of emigration from Latin America and the Caribbean. But can emigration change public opinion about how best to respond to crime? Focusing on the political economy of remittances – the money migrants send to their families and communities – we argue that emigration can increase support for violent responses to crime. Migrants’ families often spend remittances on investment goods, which makes them more vulnerable to crime and more supportive of violence to protect themselves. Our analysis of AmericasBarometer data finds that remittance recipients are more likely to both fear crime and be victims of crime than non-recipients. They are also more approving of vigilantism, more tolerant of police bending the law to apprehend criminals, and more supportive of the deployment of the military in crime-fighting. These findings contribute to our knowledge of the consequences of international migration for political development in migrant-sending countries.

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