Citation

Arnio AN. Justice Q. 2021; 38(4): 626-652.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07418825.2019.1679862

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper contributes to research on neighborhood effects and knowledge about the conditions associated with community-level patterns of police behavior by examining whether levels of violence, racial and ethnic composition, and socioeconomic disadvantage are associated with officer-involved shootings in Houston, TX. In addition, drawing from the ecological theory of policing, this study explores whether spatial heterogeneity exists in the observed relationships. Poisson regression models reveal that community violence and neighborhood racial and ethnic context are meaningful indicators of on-duty officer-involved shootings. Socioeconomic disadvantage did not emerge as a significant variable in the models estimated.

RESULTS from Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression (GWPR) models indicate statistically significant spatial variation in the effects for all the key community factors. The findings highlight the importance of local context for developing a greater understanding of police violence across the urban landscape.

Language: en

Keywords

Correction; deadly force; geographically weighted regression; neighborhood effects; Police behavior; spatial heterogeneity