Social integration and mass shootings in U.S. counties.

A major theme in the sociological literature is the observation that social integration may provide protective effects against a range of negative outcomes in society, from poor mental and physical health, to elevated levels of crime and homicide rates. In light of these observations, the current study attempts to analyze the connection between social integration and mass shootings by drawing on two popular theoretical perspectives: social disorganization theory and social capital theory. According to the findings, elevated rates of poverty and single-parent households increase residential instability, while residential instability in turn augments mass shootings. Furthermore, a young population and ethnic heterogeneity dampens civic engagement, while civic engagement in turn decreases mass shootings. Overall, these findings suggest that the protective effects of social integration may help guard against mass shootings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]