Unveiling Disparities: Comparative Analysis of Police-Involved and Criminal Homicides by Race and Age

• In Event: Roundtable: Police Practice on the Streets

Abstract

This research examines racial disparities in police use of lethal force in the United States, focusing on comparisons between Black, White, and Asian individuals. Logistic regression and LASSO regularization were employed to analyze official and Washington Post datasets spanning 2015 to 2022. Key findings indicate that Asians have the highest relative likelihood of experiencing fatal police encounters, followed by Whites, with Blacks being the least likely, relative to their respective rates of criminal homicides. Interestingly, the effect for Asian risk becomes more pronounced with LASSO, suggesting that when analysis is focused on the most relevant predictors, the increased risk for Asians is very clear. Furthermore, middle-aged men, particularly those armed with customized weapons or engaged in physical altercations, were identified as most vulnerable to police-involved fatalities. The findings of this research hold essential implications for police institutions to understand and reduce racial disparities through comprehensive strategies, offering deeper insights into the particular vulnerability of Asian Americans in police use of lethal force.

Author

• Guoliang Zhang, University of Toronto