Differences in Racial Disparities in Firearm Homicide across Cities: The Role of Racial Residential Segregation and Gaps in Structural Disadvantage

Background/purpose: Little research has characterized racial differences in firearm homicide at the city level. In this study, we explicitly model trends from 2000 to 2017 in the gap in homicide rates between the Black and White populations of 275 U.S. cities.

Methods: We used latent trajectory analysis and latent multi-trajectory analysis to identify distinct groups of cities with similar trends over time in: (a) Black and White firearm homicide rates; and (b) the ratio of the Black to White firearm homicide rates. We used a hierarchical, random effects model to examine the impact of racial segregation and racial gaps in structural disadvantage on the extent of the racial disparity in firearm homicide in each city.

Results: We found that racial residential segregation predicts differences between cities in the magnitude of racial disparities in firearm homicide rates.

Conclusion: Reducing racial disparities in firearm homicide may require programs and policies that specifically address the adverse consequences of racial segregation.