Walking While Black: Racial Gaps in Hit-and-Run Cases

56 Pages Posted: 27 Aug 2020 Last revised: 9 Apr 2021

See all articles by Madina Kurmangaliyeva

Madina Kurmangaliyeva

TILEC; Department of Economics, Tilburg University; European University at St. Petersburg (EUSP)

Matteo Sostero

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei

Date Written: July 22, 2020

Abstract

Is there a racial gap in the treatment of crime victims, and when does it first occur? We provide a causal test for racial gaps in victimization and clearance rates, using the unintentional nature of vehicle-pedestrian crashes: the victim’s race should not depend on the driver’s characteristics, conditional on location and time. We find that American drivers flee 13% more often if they hit a Black pedestrian, and clearance rates of hit-and-run cases are 11% lower for Black victims. The evidence points to both statistical discrimination and out-group bias as mechanisms behind the racial gap in hit-and-run rates.

Keywords: racial gaps, racial discrimination, victimization, hit-and-run

JEL Classification: J15, K40, K42

Suggested Citation

Kurmangaliyeva, Madina and Sostero, Matteo, Walking While Black: Racial Gaps in Hit-and-Run Cases (July 22, 2020). TILEC Discussion Paper No. DP2020-019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3681854 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3681854

Madina Kurmangaliyeva (Contact Author)

TILEC; Department of Economics, Tilburg University ( email )

Warandelaan 2
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.madinak.com

European University at St. Petersburg (EUSP) ( email )

3 Gagarinskaya Street
St. Petersburg, 191187
Russia

Matteo Sostero

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei ( email )

Campo S. M. Formosa, Castello 5252
Venezia, 30122
Italy

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