Predictors of Interracial Homicide Victimization for Asian Americans: A Macrostructural Opportunity Perspective

Abstract

This paper uses Blau's macrostructural opportunity theory to explore patterns of interracial homicide victimization among Asian Americans. Data are drawn from the F.B.I.'s Supplementary Homicide Reports and aggregated for 131 SMSAs over the 1976–1984 period. Unlike previous research, two out-groups—white and black offenders—are considered to see if the same predictors behave similarly for the different out-groups. As expected, the descriptive data show that Asian Americans as a minority group have a greater conditional probability of being killed by out-group members than do whites and blacks. On the other hand, logistic regression analysis reveals that educational inequality and population size are significant predictors of the conditional probability of out-group victimization, while hypotheses concerning the effects of relative group size, income inequality, and residential segregation fail to be fully supported. We conclude with a discussion of possible reasons for the unexpected results and of important tasks for future research.