The influence of conservative Protestant affiliation on regional differences in lethal violence

This study builds upon and extends the study of regional differences in lethal violence by examining the influence of affiliation with conservative Protestant denominations as a cultural variable. By incorporating the integrated model of lethal violence as proposed by Hugh Whitt and colleagues, simultaneous examination of both structural and cultural factors can occur. Furthermore, the integrated model is expanded to include motor vehicle accidents as a form of lethal violence. Using 1990 county-level data, the influence of religious affiliation is ascertained for total, white, and African-American populations on rates of lethal violence. Results show that, despite controls for structural variables, conservative Protestantism and overall level of church affiliation are important factors in levels of lethal violence