Poster #73 - Structural inequality and gang violence in Louisville Kentucky

• In Event: Poster Session I (posters 1 - 79)

Abstract

A growing body of literature has reaffirmed that fluctuations in structural disadvantage can shift patterns of violent crime, particularly with fewer crime occurring in places with much greater inequality. While this research has been tied to homicides stemming from gang violence, fewer studies have examined a broader approach to gang-related violence. While homicides are an offense that have detrimental impacts on the community, so too do non-fatal shootings, many of which stem from gang violence as well. Creating a scale for disadvantage as the focal predictor, the current study found a significant relationship between disadvantage and gang related offenses, particularly in tracts with low-moderate disadvantage. The same was found to be true with non-gang related offenses, though the effects were smaller. Policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Ivan Benitez, Louisville Metro Government Office of Violence Prevention

• Cate Schanie, Louisville Metro Government Office of Violence Prevention

• Claire Tallmon, Louisville Metro Government Office of Violence Prevention

• Bethany Bray, University of Louisville / Louisville Metro Government Office of Violence Prevention