Beyond borders: immigration and crime perception

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15517/dqyvpy44

Keywords:

Inmigration, Criminality, Corruption, Perception, Open Science

Abstract

This study examines Costa Rican public perceptions of the impact of immigrants on rising crime rates. It uses data from the 2020 Latinobarometro survey and applies hierarchical multiple linear regression. Findings show that perceived regional integration, attitudes toward immigrants from outside Latin America and from Venezuela, food access, and perceived corruption are key factors. These variables are significantly associated with the perception that immigrants contribute to increased crime.

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Author Biographies

  • Valeria Seballos-Mora, Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede de Occidente, San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. Undergraduate student in Psychology at the University of Costa Rica.
    Bachelor of Psychology. Research assistant at the Western Campus (San Ramón). Her areas of interest focus on the study of immigration, violence, crime, and economic inequality.

  • Abby Massiel Sol´órzano-Castillo, Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede de Occidente, San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. Undergraduate student in Psychology at the University of Costa Rica.
    Bachelor of Psychology. Research Assistant at the Western Campus (San Ramón).
    Recently published “Research in the Psychology Program, University of Costa Rica, Western Campus: A State of the Art (2008-2022)” in the journal Pensamiento Actual. His areas of interest focus on the study of immigration and crime.

  • Lindsay Pamela Carvajal-Vega, Sede de Occidente (San Ramón), Universidad de Costa Rica

    Costa Rican. Psychology student at the University of Costa Rica. Bachelor of Psychology. Research assistant at the Western Campus (San Ramón). Her areas of interest focus on the study of intersectional feminism, criminal behavior, and social psychology.

  • Fernanda Vargas Ávila, Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede de Occidente, San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. Undergraduate student
    in Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Bachelor of Psychology. Research Assistant at the Western Campus (San Ramón). Her areas of interest focus on the study of immigration and crime.

  • César Ávila Rodríguez, Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede de Occidente, San Ramón, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. Undergraduate student
    in Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Bachelor of Psychology. Research Assistant at the Western Campus (San Ramón). Her areas of interest include psychoanalysis, immigration, and crime.

  • Juan Diego García-Castro, Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad de la Investigación, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Granada (Spain). Full Professor at the Institute of Psychological Research and at the Western Campus of the University of Costa Rica. He recently published “Trust in unions drives egalitarianism: Longitudinal evidence” in the Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. His research interests focus on the psychosocial study of economic inequality, violence, and Central America.

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Published

2026-05-29

Issue

No. 191 (2026): Presentation. Governing Discourses: Fear, “Security” and Symbolic Power (January-March, 2026)

Section

Central Theme

License

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How to Cite

Beyond borders: immigration and crime perception. (2026). Revista De Ciencias Sociales, 191, 45-59. https://doi.org/10.15517/dqyvpy44