Abstract
Background and objectiveEducational achievement, particularly among youth, may mitigate risk of exposure to violence and negative related health outcomes such as crime and gang activity. Few studies to date have examined relationships between education and youth homicide. The authors hypothesized association between educational achievement in grades 3 and 8 and youth homicide mortality.MethodsNeighborhood-based, city-wide analysis was conducted of cross-sectional data regarding N = 55 neighborhoods in Baltimore, MD, extracted from Baltimore 2017 Neighborhood Health Profiles.ResultsHigher educational achievement (operationalized by reading proficiency) in third, but not eighth, grade was associated with reduced neighborhood youth homicide mortality rates in hierarchical linear regression, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors (ß = − 0.5082, p = 0.03), such that each 1.97% increase in proportion of students reading at an acceptable level was associated with one fewer neighborhood youth homicide per 100,000. Neighborhoods within the highest tertile of youth homicide mortality differed from those in the lowest tertile with fewer males (45% vs. 48%, p = 0.002), greater unemployment (17% vs. 8%, p < 0.001), familial poverty (35% vs. 16%, p < 0.001), and residents identifying as black or African-American (88% vs. 25%, p < 0.001). Causal mediation analysis demonstrated mediation effects of familial poverty and eighth grade educational achievement through third grade educational achievement (ACME = 0.151, p = 0.04; ACME = − 0.300, p = 0.03, respectively) with no significant direct effects.ConclusionsHigher educational achievement (operationalized by reading proficiency) predicts reduced homicide mortality among Baltimore youth and appears to mediate effects of familial poverty on homicide mortality as well. This converges with literature highlighting the importance of education as a determinant of social capital and violence. Future policy-based interventions should target inequalities in educational achievement to mitigate homicide risk among youth in communities facing disparities in violent crime.
Highlights
Youth homicide is among the most common preventable causes of death in the United States
Firearm homicide rates among youth in the United States are substantially higher than any other industrialized nation, exceeding the leading 25 countries combined (The World Bank, n.d.)
Neighborhoods with higher youth homicide rates differed with higher familial poverty rates (35% vs. 16%), unemployment (17% vs. 8%), percentage of children in single-parent homes (77% vs. 40%), proportion of adults with a high school degree or less (57% vs. 31%) and elementary and middle school absenteeism (16% vs. 10 and 17% vs. 13% respectively), as well as lower rates of educational achievement in grades three and eight
Summary
Youth homicide is among the most common preventable causes of death in the United States. With firearm homicide representing the third greatest cause of injury death among American youth aged 10–24 (Dahlberg et al, 2015; David-Ferdon et al, 2013), better understandings of mitigating and exacerbating factors are needed to develop targeted interventions. Firearm homicide rates among youth in the United States are substantially higher than any other industrialized nation, exceeding the leading 25 countries combined (The World Bank, n.d.). At particular risk are youth who are African-American, aged 20–24, or male (David-Ferdon et al, 2013). Educational achievement, among youth, may mitigate risk of exposure to violence and negative related health outcomes such as crime and gang activity. The authors hypothesized association between educational achievement in grades 3 and 8 and youth homicide mortality
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