Urban Black Neighborhood Environment and Homicide

Abstract

The influence of urban black neighborhood characteristics on the level of homicide victimization in four American cities is examined for 1970 and 1980. Changes in the impact of the environment on homicide risk that may have occurred during the decade are identified. Demographic and socioeconomic information was gathered on all census tracts with majority-black populations. Homicide data for both years were collected from the cities' public health departments. Analysis indicates that the relationship between environmental factors and homicide risk for black neighborhoods in the four cities does not exhibit a consistent pattern.