Racial Disparities in Victim Compensation Among Homicide Survivors in the United States
Objective:
This study investigates racial disparities in victim compensation among families of homicide victims across 18 U.S. states from 2015 to 2023. Using individual-level administrative data and national expenditure records, we find that families of Black homicide victims file more claims than any other group but have lower approval rates than families of White victims. We document statistically significant racial disparities in claim approvals, even after controlling for gender, state, and application year. The disparity is especially pronounced in denials attributed to “contributory misconduct,” a discretionary determination made largely by law enforcement, assessing whether the deceased was engaged in conduct, broadly defined, that may have contributed to their victimization.
Status:
Completed
Principal Investigators:
Daniel Semenza