Self-Help and Black Firearm Crime

Self-help theory posits that a negative perception of police engenders firearm violence rather than simply amplifying individuals? ownership of firearms for self-defense. A racially diverse police force may help decrease firearm use among Black citizens because marginalized groups in society often v...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ammons-Blanfort, Candice (Author) ; D'Alessio, Stewart J. (Author) ; Stolzenberg, Lisa (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: Crime & delinquency
Year: 2023, Volume: 69, Issue: 1, Pages: 178-207
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
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Keywords:
firearm crime
percent black police officers
Race
racially diverse police force
Self-help
Description
Summary:Self-help theory posits that a negative perception of police engenders firearm violence rather than simply amplifying individuals? ownership of firearms for self-defense. A racially diverse police force may help decrease firearm use among Black citizens because marginalized groups in society often view a governmental institution as legitimate and impartial when the racial composition of the institution mirrors the population it represents. Analyses using multilevel data show that as the racial diversity of a city?s police department increases, Black criminal offenders are much less likely to use a firearm in an aggravated assault and in a violent crime. These findings buttress the claim that the institutional legitimacy of a police agency can be enhanced by descriptive racial representation.
ISSN:1552-387X
DOI:10.1177/00111287211022627