Media representation of migrant crime: Hypotheticals, prominence, and migration pros and cons in select western newspaper coverage

This content analysis examines newspaper representation of migrant criminality in Canada, the UK, and the US. Existing studies demonstrate a dynamic relationship between media coverage, perceptions of migration, and politics/lawmaking, as well as the media's role in maintaining the gap between empirical knowledge and common understanding of migrant crime. Logistic and OLS regression are employed to evaluate (1) the hypothetical discussion of migrant crime (speculative/risk-oriented content as opposed to the discussion of a real crime event), and (2) article prominence in the form of word count. Qualitative thematic analyses are used to explore the nature of (3) pro-migrant content, such as economic benefits, and (4) anti-migrant content, such as threats to values and resources. Results are considered in the contexts of rising populism, media influence and accountability, promotion of stereotypes and public concern, and the perceived risks of migration and subsequent effects on human and civil rights.