Beyond the Walls: The Importance of Community Contexts in Immigration Detention

Forthcoming, American Behavioral Scientist (2018)

USC CLASS Research Paper No. CLASS18-20

USC Law Legal Studies Paper No. 18-21

40 Pages Posted: 8 Aug 2018

See all articles by Emily Ryo

Emily Ryo

Duke Law School

Ian Peacock

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Date Written: July 19, 2018

Abstract

Immigration detention facilities are commonly assumed to be insulated microcosms that maintain their existence separate and apart from the surrounding communities. Yet, detention facilities are not hermetically sealed institutions. Drawing on unique and comprehensive data pertaining to all individuals held in immigration detention in the United States in fiscal year 2015, this study explores for the first time the importance of community contexts in immigration detention. Our multivariate analyses show a significant relationship between the characteristics of communities in which the facilities are located and detention length for individuals who were released pending the completion of their removal proceedings. Specifically, we find that the presence of legal service providers and social support networks in the communities is associated with shorter detention length, controlling for a variety of individual characteristics and contextual factors. These findings highlight the need for research on the social ecology of immigration detention — research that moves beyond the walls of detention facilities to consider the broader legal, social, and political contexts of surrounding communities in investigating the nature and consequences of immigration detention.

Keywords: immigration detention, community contexts

Suggested Citation

Ryo, Emily and Peacock, Ian, Beyond the Walls: The Importance of Community Contexts in Immigration Detention (July 19, 2018). Forthcoming, American Behavioral Scientist (2018), USC CLASS Research Paper No. CLASS18-20, USC Law Legal Studies Paper No. 18-21, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3216868

Emily Ryo (Contact Author)

Duke Law School ( email )

210 Science Drive
Durham, NC 27708
United States
6502483855 (Phone)

Ian Peacock

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) ( email )

405 Hilgard Avenue
Box 951361
Los Angeles, CA 90095
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
141
Abstract Views
1,081
Rank
369,138
PlumX Metrics