Examining the Dynamics of Asian American and American Indian Homicide in the United States

Homicide victimization is prevalent among American Indian and Asian American populations, yet it has received minimal scholarly attention. To address this gap in the literature, we conduct a comprehensive, large-scale study of homicide victimization among the five largest racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The study sample consists of 75,474 homicide victims from 2003 to 2021 in the National Violent Death Reporting System. To test key notions of the racial invariance thesis and the immigrant paradox, we use descriptive and multilevel regression techniques to compare the correlates for homicide victimization across American Indian, Asian American, White, African American, and Hispanic homicide victims. Results demonstrated differences in the correlates for American Indian and Asian American homicide compared to other racial and ethnic groups, providing mixed support for the theoretical frameworks. American Indian and Asian American victims were less likely to be male compared to other victims of color. They were also less likely to be killed by an offender of the same race. American Indians were less likely to be married, whereas Asian Americans were more likely to be married. Asian Americans were more likely to reside in areas with higher levels of concentrated disadvantage, residential instability, racial and ethnic heterogeneity, and population density. The findings suggest that violence reduction strategies should take into consideration, and be tailored to, the unique cultural values and experiences among different racial and ethnic groups.