Tulane University

Sarah Fouts, a recent Stone Center Ph.D. and current Postdoctoral Fellow at Lehigh University, and Miranda Stramel, a current Stone Center Ph.D. Candidate, recently co-authored an article published in the Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Science. The article, entitled, Informed Gatekeepers and Transnational Violence: Using Perceptions of Safety of Latino/a Youth in Determining Legal Cases ois a mix-methods report that uses survey research to gauge perceptions of safety of Latino/a youth comparing New Orleans to their experiences in their countries of origin (Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico).

“Our purpose of this report is twofold,” Fouts, one of the co-authors, said.

“First, we aim to better inform stakeholders in legal and public policy sectors on the perceptions of safety of youth for the purpose of immigration cases, particularly Special Immigrant Juvenile Status classification. Second, we offer a model and call on scholars to engage in similar applied methodology to conduct localized studies that better contextualize the transnational experiences and perceptions of safety of immigrant youth.”

Congratulations to our alumni for conducting such meaningful research and publishing studies on the ongoing immigration debate. You can read a full abstract of the article below. Clare Cannon a graduate from Tulane’s City, Culture, and Community program and Assistant Professor in Human Ecology at UC Davis is the third co-author of this study.

Abstract
From 2013 to 2017, thousands of unaccompanied children (UCs) arrived in Louisiana from Latin America. This research aims to increase understanding of experiences of Latino/a youth who came to New Orleans during that migratory peak. This study offers additional background information on the violent circumstances that forced youth to migrate and insight into youth perceptions of public safety for stakeholders in law and public policy. By triangulating secondary data on crime in Mexico, Central America, and New Orleans with primary survey data (N = 52), this study found that the majority of surveyed youth (79.2 %) consider New Orleans safer than their country of origin. This finding, among other significant findings related to violence and perceived effectiveness of law enforcement, can be used to advise stakeholders when considering legal options for youth. Moreover, this study generates applied research that contextualizes immigrant youth experiences and their perceptions of safety, offering a methodology for future scholarship.