Abstract
Research that considers Central American migration, particularly migration due to violence is relatively new. This work often finds that individuals leave for mixed motives of migration, meaning they leave because of violence as well as socio-economic insecurities. However, gaps remain in our understanding of victimization and mobility, as well as how neighborhoods may impact this relationship. Finally, it is limited in that we know very little about crime prevention programs utilized in Central America and how these programs might be utilized to impact mobility. This dissertation aims to fill this gap in the research on Central American migration utilizing data from Vanderbilt University’s Latin American Public Opinion Project and U.S. Agency of International Development. Findings show that victimization remains one of the largest predictors and most important reasons for migration from Central America. Second, neighborhood perceptions only somewhat, though not to the extent that victimization has on mobility. However, we need to better conceptualize what neighborhood perceptions mean for individuals in Central America. Finally, community-based crime prevention programs have unintended consequences for migration that are only recognized through long term policy evaluations using robust experimental designs. Implications and suggestions for future research and policy interventions are discussed throughout this study, with the results of the study being available in a three-paper dissertation model.