Abstract:

In the mid and late 19th century urban crimes were very serious in New York City of America. It is widely accepted in the United States that immigrants are the source of crimes, while some Chinese scholars hold that the crime rate among immigrants is lower than that among native Americans. This paper argues that immigrants have something to do with the urban crimes but they are not the root of crimes. It is necessary to make an analysis of the nature and causes of crimes. Through analyzing the urban crimes, we can not only make a proper evaluation of the immigrants in the history of America, but also learn some lessons in controlling and dealing with crimes among immigrant labors in big cities in present - day China.

Key words: New York City, immigrant, crime