STATE AND COUNTRY INCARCERATION RATES - THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF RACE AND INEQUALITY

This study examines the direct and indirect effects of race and income inequality on imprisonment rates across states. The analysis is desig ned to: 1) investigate whether race and income inequality are signific antly related to imprisonment when controlling for crime, 2) assess th e relative magnitudes of the direct and indirect effects; and 3) asses s the relative magnitudes of race and income inequality. Crime is foun d to be the strongest predictor of incarceration rates in five of the six equations estimated. Income inequality is significantly related to incarceration rates in two of the six equations. There Nas no clear e vidence of a direct race effect. The indirect effect of race was great er than the direct effect in four of the six equations.