NCJ Number
188128
Journal
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2001 Pages: 89-109
Date Published
March 2001
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This research estimated the differential impact of structural conditions on race-specific and relationship-specific homicide rates for U.S. cities in 1990.
Abstract
The structural conditions commonly used in race-specific homicide research were examined, such as job accessibility, economic deprivation, racial segregation, and racial inequality. Furthermore, four relationship categories of homicide -- acquaintance, family, stranger, and intimate -- were disaggregated by racial group. The detailed relationship-specific homicide rates were compared to a baseline homicide rate to determine whether structural factors associated with urban disadvantage similarly influenced homicide rates across relationship types. The findings show differences in the impact of structural conditions on homicides disaggregated by race-specific and relationship-specific categories. Theoretical explanations consistent with criminology and race-relations literature are discussed, as well as the potential benefits and implications for studies that pursue more meaningful and detailed classifications in homicide offending. 3 tables and 67 references