American Indian Victimization: Examining Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Homicide Rates

• In Event: Issues in Homicide

Abstract

While research examining the relationship between social structural factors and homicide has continued to flourish within criminology, little attention has been paid to this form of violence among American Indians. Interestingly, data indicates that the homicide rate among American Indians is often higher than other racial and/or ethnic groups. For example, in North Carolina, the 2011 American Indian homicide rate was 10.7 per 100,000 as compared to a rate of only 3.2 for white victims (NC-VDRS, 2013). Utilizing data from the 2006-2012 Violent Death Reporting System (VDRS) of North Carolina, which is based on medical examiner and law enforcement data, this paper will examine the relationship between American Indian homicide victimization and Census tract-level socioeconomic determinants in North Carolina. Results of the multivariate analysis as well as directions for future research and policy implications of this investigation are discussed.

Author

• Brian Pitman, University of North Carolina, Wilmington