Recorded presentation

Josephine Ellen Saltmarsh, BA, Maternal and Child Health, Health Services, University of Washington, P.O. Box 357230, Seattle, WA 98195, 206-634-9269, josephin@u.washington.edu, Colleen Huebner, PhD, MPH, School of Public Health and Community Medicine Maternal and Child Health Program, University of Washington, Department of Health Services Box 357230, Seattle, WA 98195-7230, Stephen A. Bezruchka, MD MPH, Dept. of Health Services, University of Washington, Box 357660, Seattle, WA 98195-7660, and Elaine Adams Thompson, PhD, RN, Psychosocial and Community Health, University of Washington, Health Sciences, Box 357263, Seattle, WA 98195-7263.

Despite recent declines in youth violence, the U.S. ranks higher than any other westernized nation in youth homicide. Furthermore, in the U.S., homicide is the second leading cause of death among persons aged 15 to 24 years. Research with populations of all ages has shown a strong association between income inequality and rates of homicide and violent crime. This study tests whether a similar association is true for youth violence in particular.

The study design is a cross-sectional ecological analysis of state level data to identify associations among youth violence, income inequality and social capital. Regression analysis will be used with data from all 50 states. Youth violence is defined in terms of youth victim and homicide rates. State-level Gini-coefficients are used to measure income inequality. A comprehensive social capital index by Robert Putnam (including constructs of community-level trust, social connections, and civic participation) is used to indicate state-level social capital. The study also explores potential mediators including state-level poverty, child poverty, urbanization, educational attainment, and number of single-parent families.

Results of the study will be discussed in terms of their contribution to understanding the elevated rates of youth violence in the U.S. Possible mechanisms by which income inequality affects rates of violence and the potential mediating effect of social capital will also be discussed. Finally, implications of the results for programs and policies to decrease the gap between the rich and the poor in community social capital will be presented.

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