Which concept explains that as immigrants assimilate, their crime rates may become closer to those of native-born citizens?

• A. Acculturation effect
• B. Neighborhood-level explanation for immigration and crime
• C. Self-selection
• D. Routine activities theory

Answer: (A)

Acculturation describes how immigrants gradually adopt the host country’s norms, values, and behaviors. As this happens, their actions—including patterns related to crime—tend to move toward what is typical in the native-born population. With longer residence and deeper integration, crime rates among immigrant groups can converge toward native levels because language fluency, social networks, familiarity with laws, and participation in mainstream institutions align with the host society. This convergence captures the idea that crime patterns become more similar over time as assimilation progresses.

Self-selection would focus on who chooses to migrate and their pre-migration traits, not the change that happens after arrival. Routine activities theory explains crime in terms of opportunities and routine behavior, not cultural adaptation. Neighborhood-level explanations attribute crime to local conditions like poverty or social structure, rather than the assimilation process itself.