Racial Disparities in Murder Rates Show the Price of Poverty
African-Americans make up only six percent of Wisconsin’s population, but the latest national crime study shows that if you’re black in Wisconsin, you’re nine times more likely than whites or other ethnic groups to be a murder victim. That’s higher than the national ratio, according to the National Crime Victimization Study released this month.
Nationally, the black homicide rate is six times higher than that of whites. While the murder rate has been steadily falling nationwide, the racial disparity of victims has held steady for the past five years. Last year, the number of murders in Wisconsin fell by 20 percent, from 207 to 166, but the national study shows that more than half of the victims were black. Also, 90 percent of black victims were killed by other blacks. Some experts say that’s because black victims are more likely to be attacked by someone armed with a gun.
That’s an issue Jeri Bonavia of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort says state lawmakers should address by making it harder to purchase illegal guns. She says currently we are making it as easy as possible for felons and other prohibited purchasers to acquire guns and, she says, her group thinks that should change.