Refugee Admissions and Public Safety: Are Refugee Settlement Areas More Prone to Crime?

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the number of refugees worldwide rose to 25.9 million in 2018. Despite the increased need for refugee resettlements, resistance to the welcoming of refugees appears to have grown. The perception that refugees may engage in criminal behavior has served as fuel for closing the door to refugees in the United States and Europe. Is there any basis for this fear? We exploit variation in...