A Socio-Spatial Analysis of Race and Crime in New Orleans

ABSTRACT

The relationship of residential segregation with neighborhood crime has been well established with many studies finding segregation was positively associated with neighborhood crime. Research has begun to explore the importance of neighborhood community for the relationship of segregation with crime, but few studies were able to incorporate explicit measures of social capital. The current study engages with this limitation by examining the relationship of segregation with violent crime in post-Katrina New Orleans controlling for neighborhood social capital (or what we term collective resources). Results suggest collective resources related to social trust and civic engagement can be protective against violent crime, but we find very limited evidence that such resources mediate the relationship of segregation with crime.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joy Ngelor Watchese

Joy Ngelor Watchese is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University. She is interested in race, crime, and inequality studies. She is researching the role of community context in the race, crime, and inequality relationship.

Michael S. Barton

Michael S. Barton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University. His research interests include the longitudinal and spatial correlates of crime and health. His work has appeared in Journal of Criminal Justice, Social Science Research, Homicide Studies, Crime & Delinquency, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Deviant Behavior, PLOS One and Urban Studies.

Frederick Weil is an Associate Professor at Department of Sociology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. He has been researching community response to the Covid-19 pandemic, community recovery from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, grassroots mentoring in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Chicago, and earlier, transitions to democracy in Germany and other countries. His work has appeared in the American Sociological Review, Social Forces, Social Science Research, the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, the American Behavioral Scientist, among others.

Frederick Weil

Frederick Weil is an Associate Professor at Department of Sociology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. He has been researching community response to the Covid-19 pandemic, community recovery from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, grassroots mentoring in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Chicago, and earlier, transitions to democracy in Germany and other countries. His work has appeared in the American Sociological Review, Social Forces, Social Science Research, the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, the American Behavioral Scientist, among others.

Timothy T. Reling

Timothy T. Reling is a Assistant Research Professor at the Mississippi State University National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research Center (NSPARC). His research examines socio-cultural determinants of sexual violence on college campuses, as well as the development and implementation of risk-needs-responsivity systems for correctional institutions. His recent publications appear in Sex Roles, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Urban Studies, and Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology