The Hidden Side of Homicide: Negligent Manslaughter and Racial Gap in Homicide Offending

• In Event: Homicide Trends and Covariates

Abstract

A review of homicide statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation reveals an anomaly: homicide arrest rates for whites were higher than homicide arrest rates for African Americans until 1951, when white arrest rates declined dramatically. White rates have remained lower than black rates ever since. The authors trace this to the decision to exclude manslaughter by negligence from the homicide arrest statistics beginning in 1951. We note that this decision made the ratio of black to white homicide arrest rates appear to be much larger than would be the case if consistent rules of reporting and computation were followed, and argue that doing so would provide a more accurate understanding of the racial gap in homicide offending.

Author

• Jerome McKean, Ball State University