Impact of Police-Involved Deaths on Black Infant Health

Timeline

Summer 2026

Description

Policing practices in the United States have resulted in the deaths of countless civilians. Historical and contemporary evidence shows that Black people face a disproportionately high risk of fatal encounters with police. This research looks beyond the effects of police violence on individuals to examine its broader consequences for communities. In particular, this study seeks to quantify how exposure to police violence affects the health and well-being of Black communities. 

Birth outcomes, such as premature birth and low birth weight, are important indicators of community health and may be especially affected by police violence. Elevated maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Research suggests that police violence can become a source of prenatal stress when parents fear for their families’ safety, potentially affecting the health of their infants. 

This research examines how birth outcomes may be shaped by individuals’ connections to the broader community and by the ways people experience threats to the well-being of others who share their racial or ethnic identity.  Using innovative methods to analyze New York City birth records from 1998 to 2001, the study examines the effects of police violence on birth outcomes following the highly publicized police killing of Amadou Diallo, a Black immigrant. The analysis considers whether U.S.-born Black mothers experienced effects similar to those of immigrant Black mothers when the victim of a highly publicized police killing was an immigrant. This question helps researchers understand how racial group boundaries are drawn in response to highly visible incidents of police violence.

Team

Members

• Michael Cao, postbaccalaureate fellow
• Erin Smith, undergraduate fellow

Leaders

• Team Lead: Hedwig Lee, Ph.D. (Sociology)