The Hyper-Criminalization of the Latinx Community

This dissertation research study aims to identify the different types of hyper-criminalization found in the Latinx community. This in-depth qualitative research study consisted of eighteen interviews with residents of Little Village, a Latinx neighborhood, located on the West Side of Chicago. The study explored two main research questions: What forms of hyper-criminalization exist in Little Village, Chicago? How does hyper-criminalization impact the Latinx community? This case study relied on Victor Rios’ theory of hyper-criminalization. Rios (2016) defines hyper-criminalization as the “process by which an individual’s everyday behaviors and styles become ubiquitously treated as deviant, risky, threatening, or criminal, across social contexts” (Rios, xiv). The results of this research study show that there are 3 main ways in which Little Village residents are hyper-criminalized: by the police, by technology, and, least conventionally, by family and community members. The Latinx community is impacted in many ways by hyper-criminalization, both directly and as collateral damage. Their safety is compromised because they do not trust the police, which is the direct outcome of their negative interactions with the police over the course of their lives.