Community Contexts Predicting Fatal Police Shootings of Youth, 2014–2018

Abstract

Between 2014 and 2018, at least 974 youth were fatally shot by the police. Racial disparities in fatal police shootings (FPS) have been well-established in existing research, but less attention has been paid to patterns in fatal police encounters with youth. This study uses a multisource and externally validated research design to track cases of FPS for individuals aged between 10 and 24. Cases were geocoded to the county-level and linked to multiple variables capturing social, demographic, and policing contexts. The results point to substantial racial disparities in FPS. Black youth are killed at nearly double the rate of white youth. Counties with heightened risks to the physical safety of law enforcement have more FPS. Shootings are also more frequent for Black youth in racially segregated communities.