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Objective: To investigate the relationship between racial residential segregation and differences in Black-White disparities in overall firearm homicides across U.S states., Methods: Using a linear regression, we evaluated the relationship between racial residential segregation, as measured by the index of dissimilarity, and the Black-White firearm homicide disparity ratio in 32 states over the period 1991-2015. To account for clustering of observations within states, we used a generalized estimating equations approach., Results: After controlling for measures of White and Black deprivation, multivariate analysis showed that racial segregation was positively associated with the Black-White firearm homicide disparity. For each 10-point increase in the index of dissimilarity, the ratio of Black to White firearm homicide rates in a state increased by 39%. After controlling for levels of White and Black deprivation, racial segregation remained negatively associated with White firearm homicide rates and positively associated with Black firearm homicide rates., Conclusions: These findings suggest that racial segregation may increase the disparity in firearm homicide between the Black and White population., (Copyright © 2019 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to discern the relationship between state-level structural racism and Black-White disparities in police shootings of victims not known to be armed., Methods: Using a Poisson regression, we evaluated the effect of structural racism on differences between states in Black-White disparities in fatal police shootings involving victims not known to be armed during the period from January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2017. We created a state racism index, which was comprised of five dimensions: (1) residential segregation; and gaps in (2) incarceration rates; (3) educational attainment; (4) economic indicators; and (5) employment status., Results: After controlling for numerous state-level factors and for the underlying rate of fatal shootings of black victims in each state, the state racism index was a significant predictor of the Black-White disparity in police shooting rates of victims not known to be armed (incidence rate ratio: 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.50). For every 10-point increase in the state racism index, the Black-White disparity ratio of police shooting rates of people not known to be armed increased by 24%., Conclusion: These findings suggest that structural racism is an important predictor of the Black-White disparity in rates of police shootings of unarmed victims across states., (Copyright © 2018 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)